Life In A Medieval Castle

This week I thought I’d write about how people lived during Medieval times, and how castles were managed and how they actually functioned. I thought it would be interesting to see how life was for the elites and how these large structures might be similar or dissimilar to the mansions people live in today.

You may be surprised!

The great age of castles began almost 1,000 years ago and lasted for nearly 500 years. The first proper castles built in England were introduced by William the Conqueror when he invaded England from his homeland in France. William needed to show his authority and protect his new kingdom. So, during those early years of Norman rule, there was a frenzy of castle building.

The original castles of stone consisted of rectangular towers surrounded by high stone walls. These towers, also called “keeps,” were built with a number of levels within, depending on its size and the wealth of its owner, but the ground floor would make up the castle’s main hall, also known as the Great Hall. This “Great Hall” was the equivalent of a living room and dining room as well as a den and a small kitchen tossed in with 40- or 50-foot vaulted ceilings.

There would have been a large fire burning at the center of the room, and its smoke would turn the air acrid. The only natural light filtered in through the lancet windows. It was in this room that the nobility ate and drank and even slept. On special occasions, magnificent banquets were held here. The nobleman, his family, and important guests sat at the high table, which was raised above the other diners and covered with a tablecloth of fine linen.

Inside the castle walls there would also be comfortable chambers and a chapel. These chapels were extravagantly customized with stained glass windows and gold leaf. A chapel seems to have been de rigueur for every castle built back then, pretty much as a beautiful kosher kitchen is a must-have item for houses built today.

Castles did not have proper bathrooms; instead, people sat on wooden seats in rooms called “garderobes.” These were wood or stone benches with holes built over a very long chute down which the waste dropped into a pit or moat. The garderobes (from the French: garder les robes) were so called because people also stored their clothes in them. The foul smell kept the moths away.

For fresh water, almost all castles had a well within their walls. This was essential as a source of water if someone laid siege to the castle and everyone had to stay inside the castle walls (what a life).

Early castle life was far from comfortable. The wind blew through the wooden shutters in the windows and most people slept on benches or on rough mattresses in the Great Hall—on top of hay or straw on the floor, which would be replaced on a daily basis (just like in a barn). Insulation as we have today was unknown. By the 13th century, castle amenities got better and people slept in well-furnished bed chambers and living rooms that were built in added wings within the castle, usually above the main hall and in surrounding wing additions, heated by large open fires and lit by candles.

Ironically, when large homes are built today, many build them fantasizing about living in a castle. We dream about the ultimate lives of luxury, never having to fend for ourselves, having our every whim taken care of, dressed in silk and jewels. But despite all the glamour we see in movies and conjure up in our minds, Medieval castle life was not easy.

Hardships were plenty, and even the wealthiest individuals often found themselves living in less than adequate quarters. There was no central heating, except for the central hearth or fireplace, which had to be tended to be efficient. Of course, that heat was usually saved for the nobleman and his family. Servants, soldiers, and others made due with tiny lamps and shivered a lot in the cold winter nights. The nobleman, his family, and guests would also have the added comfort of heavy blankets, feather mattresses, fur covers, and tapestries hanging on the walls to block the cold winds and the damp.

Even during the warmest months of the year, the castle retained a cool dampness and was very dark since in order to keep out the wind and cold, very few windows were included in the structuring of a castle, so most residents spent as much time as possible outdoors. There were no bathrooms with bathtubs or running water, either hot or cold. Baths were taken in transportable wooden tubs, so during the summer, the sun would warm the water, and during the colder months, the tub was moved inside for the bathers.

All in all, I think the only thing I found interesting after having researched actual castle living were the large rooms with the high ceilings and the use of stone. Everything else, although beautiful when looking at a picture or seeing a castle on a museum tour, is just that: a beautiful picture totally removed from life. So, remind me again why we all dream about living in a castle? n

Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a N.Y.S. Licensed Real Estate Broker (Anessa V Cohen Realty with over 20 years of experience offering full service residential, commercial and management real estate services in the 5 Towns of Long Island as well as the tri-state area. She can be reached at 516-569-5007. Readers are encouraged to send any questions or scenarios by email to [email protected].