Life Inside a Medieval Castle (Cross Section)

Medieval Castles needed to be multiple things at once. They needed to be reflections of the leaders they represented – large and stately, suitable for housing the most important people in the world and surrounding them with luxury. But they also needed battlegrounds and strong fortifications that strengthened the defences of a town or city – therefore deterring invasion. The focal point of the towns and cities they defended, the Medieval Castle needed to not only house and support the land it owned, but stand as a signature and representation of the wealth of the crown and its nobles. Sending the message to invaders: ‘You will not win here.’

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Credit:
Simple History Creator: Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Video Directors: Anthony Barrett, Denis Blinov
Script: Tash Martell
Script Review: Denis Blinov
Narrator: Chris Kane (https://vocalforge.com)
Artists: ShyShelly, Arya Ahumada Lydisma
Animators: Kuldip Bheda, Krunal, Mani Kumar, Bharghavi
Editor: Alec Urbany
Senior Production Manager: Umar Ijaz
Simple History Channel Manager: James Dowse

the life and layout of a medieval castle there are plenty of medieval castles Still Standing letting us modern peasants from all over the world get a taste of living like a king or queen in the early centuries in Wales which has the most castles per square mile than any other country in Europe for example you can barely walk through town without tripping over a medieval Monarch’s home a castle wasn’t just for kings and queens however they were often owned by Lords and had their own little insul kingdoms within kingdoms running what was tantamount to a small town within their walls housing Nobles servants shopkeepers and their stalls armories treasuries cattle ballrooms kitchens prison cells and much more castles needed to be multiple things at once they needed to be reflections of the leaders they represented large and stately suitable for housing the most important people in the world and surrounding them with luxury but they also needed Battlegrounds and strong fortifications that strengthened a town or City’s defenses and deterred Invasion that’s why a medieval castle is like an onion both have plenty of layers the beginning of the medieval castle before the medieval period also known as the Middle Ages came the Romans and with the Romans came forts one of the original bases for the medieval castle often refurbished during the medieval period it was a time for conflict across Europe and the rest of the world and as such creating defense ens es against Invaders became a focal point of medieval monarchs ensuring their dynasties with abandoned Roman fortresses of Plenty they were The Logical building ground for newer fortifications from there came the simple structures of the m and Bailey castles introduced in the 9th and 10th centuries these were simple pieces of raised land enclosed by a wooden wall and were usually simplistic in structure and size as time moved on these wooden constructions were replaced in favor of stall and these early structures provided a basis for the medieval castle we most commonly think of today in no small part thanks to Disney movies another reason was the introduction of the social order known as feudalism in order to control their land Lords built Grand fortresses homes that became the basis of the medieval castle structure the location of these structures was a crucial element across Great Britain and the coastal European countries castles were often built near Seas or lakes so as to be aware of and fortify against any attack by water a supply of fresh water was also essential for those living in a castle and the less likely their supply could be cut off during a Siege all the better for it they were also commonly built on hilltops overlooking the area they controlled a high Vantage Point allowed inhabitants To See For Miles getting plenty of notice of incoming attacks but it also gave a big advantage on the battlefield itself it’s much harder to attack from a downward position upwards than it is to fire down on an enemy and much much easier to strategize plan and aim from within fortifications and general protection aside Invaders would also be exhausted from their long tracks which would only be emphasized by the final need to crawl uphill to the battle site building a castle the outer layers given their positioning castles on hilltops and outcroppings didn’t really use the traditional Mo we associate with medieval castles most others did however with one of the most famous examples being in Wales Moes worked as an extra layer of defense against oncoming forces used as a way to slow their progress an even more gruesome use of Moes was to sicken Invaders who tried to cross them those in the castle would voluntarily poison their moat with disease ridden corpses during an attack in order to sicken the oncoming Soldiers the most important part of the Castle’s fortifications however were the strong outer walls that lay just beyond the moat and drawbridge the outer wall and its Towers were were a Castle’s first line of defense permanently guarded and lined with archers and artillery during battle the higher the castle wall the better it was for its residents on average castle walls were around 30 ft high but famously framlingham Castle reached a whopping 40 ft as Castle developed a second inner wall was often added as another line of defense before reaching the main meat of the castle just like the Death Star had a weakness though the medieval Castle’s weakness was at outer Gates no matter how well built and strong they were they just weren’t the same as a pure Stone 30 to 40t tall wall and were so often the focal point of attacking forces that’s why many medieval castle Gates also had a port Cullis an iron work structure that could be lowered to form another barrier of Defense behind the gate itself although there were few rooms in the outer castle walls they did house one particularly smelly part of medieval life the Garter robe or as it’s more commonly known the toilet in castles disease could spread quickly and easily so hygiene was an important factor for his residents however no one wants a medieval privy too close to where they dine and sleep so the toilets were often found in what was known as the latrine Tower which served as part of the outer wall sitting up high buttocks resting on a surprisingly comfortable wooden board waste would make its way down through the tower’s internal tunneling system far away from the Castle’s residence these latrine Towers would not just be in the outer wall however but could also be found in other structures within the castle such as the Garrison or prison if you visit Killy Castle today you pop in its latrine yourself and imagine what it was like to visit a bathroom with a view in medieval Britain moving on from the toilet within the two lines of walls and protection however is where the castle life could be found a stone keep positioned in the courtyard known as the Bailey that covered the inner portions of the castle was usually the central focal point of the medieval castle here you’d find the residents of the lord of the castle and their servants usually the most luxurious part of the structure it’s where the Lord would dine receive guests and generally live in medieval Comfort but it also served as the final line of defense against invading forces if all else was lost soldiers and Castle residents could Retreat to the keep and and hope its strong stone walls would withstand the onslaught other common rooms within the keep usually included the Great Hall where the family would eat and receive other members of the nobility the treasury where they would keep the taxes collected from those who farmed the land owned by the Lord and the room that housed the resident medieval physician and their marvelous leeches but a castle needs more than just a place for the Lord to lay his head they served as a home to many and as such they had some of the trappings and Comforts of medieval life the keep was often richly decorated with tapestries and ornamentation with some featuring impressive carvings on their walls much like Sterling Castle which housed several Scottish monarchs during the Medieval Era depending on their size medieval castles could even become their own townships much like castio de hibra Faro in Spain which stretched to include a community of Traders Artisans and Merchants within its walls other common Castle structur would include a chapel as religion was a critical part of medieval life servants living quarters garrisons for soldiers staes places for livestock and also a prison to house those captured by the kingdom across Europe and Beyond the structure of the medieval castle actually remains startlingly familiar usually following the same pattern regardless of its location the focal point of the towns and cities they defended the medieval castle needed not only to house and support the land it own but stand as a signature and representation of the wealth of the crown and its Nobles sending the message to Invaders you will not win here [Music] [Applause] [Music]