Do castles have secret rooms?

Some buildings have secret areas built into their original plans, such as secret passages in medieval castles, designed to allow inhabitants to escape from enemy sieges. Other castles' secret passages led to an underground water source, providing water during prolonged sieges.

Do castles really have secret passageways?

Secret passages were built in almost every medieval castle. In most of the cases they were built for the royalty and aristocrats and many times used for the movement of treasure. These "tunnels" would usually have hidden or camouflaged doors, used as escape routes or leading to secret areas.

What is a secret entrance to a castle called?

A postern is a secondary door or gate in a fortification such as a city wall or castle curtain wall. Posterns were often located in a concealed location which allowed the occupants to come and go inconspicuously.

Did castles have treasure rooms?

Schatzkammer, a German word which means "treasury" or "treasure chamber", is a term sometimes used in English for the collection of treasures, especially objets d'art in precious metals and jewels, of a ruler or other collector which are kept in a secure room and often found in the basement of a palace or castle.

Where are the bedrooms in a castle?

The private bed chambers of a medieval castle were typically accessed by a small passage at the top end of the great hall – often the bedrooms and living rooms of the lord and lady of the castle, and their close family or honoured guests, would be on the first floor of the structure.

10 Secret Rooms in Famous Castles!

What did medieval castles smell like?

Castles and manor houses often smelled damp and musty. To counteract this, herbs and rushes were strewn across the floors.

What is the most important room in a castle?

The most important room in a castle was the Great Hall. This is where all the members of the household sat down to eat at tables set up for every meal. It was where feasts were held for special days, or when there were guests. King Arthur's Pentecost Feast takes place in such a Hall.

Do castles have toilets?

In the medieval period luxury castles were built with indoor toilets known as 'garderobes', and the waste dropped into a pit below.

Did castles have prisons?

Castles were ideal places to lock up prisoners, because they were strong buildings that were difficult to escape from. Prisoners were locked away in a tower or underground in a dungeon. In the Middle Ages, most prisoners were noblemen captured in war who were held for ransom.

What did castle toilets empty into?

Medieval castles in Europe were fitted with private toilets known as 'garderobes' (example pictured above), typically featuring stone seats above tall holes draining into moats.

What is a loophole in a castle?

An arrowslit (often also referred to as an arrow loop, loophole or loop hole, and sometimes a balistraria) is a narrow vertical aperture in a fortification through which an archer can launch arrows or a crossbowman can launch bolts.

What is the strongest part of a castle?

keep, English term corresponding to the French donjon for the strongest portion of the fortification of a castle, the place of last resort in case of siege or attack. The keep was either a single tower or a larger fortified enclosure.

What is the bottom of a castle called?

The moat was a deep trench that was dug around the entire castle, outside of the castle walls. It was called a moat when it was filled with water, but sometimes it was just a very deep, wide ditch. Some moats could be up to 30 feet deep and up to 12 feet wide!

Why aren t there any castles to visit in the us?

Because castles were places where armies were housed in Feudal times. The US was settled long after the Feudal system had fallen, and couldn't ever have been established in the US.

What are the most inaccessible castles?

Cave Castle

Predjamski Castle, near Postojna in Slovenia, has to be one of the world's most inaccessible and unusual castles. Built in the 16^th century, the brilliant white construction perches on top of a lofty cliff and sits in a cave.

Did castles have towns inside?

Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles. In Western Europe, and England particularly, it is common for cities and towns that were not castle towns to instead have been organized around cathedrals.

Were there rats in castles?

Rats and other vermin flourished inside the walls of medieval towns. Castles — designed to withstand a siege — often contained stores of surplus grain, vegetables, and herbs. Along with their cool, dark interior, these stores provided a superb habitat for rats and mice.

Are there any abandoned castles in the United States?

Hearthstone Castle

It was called Hearthstone Castle due to the many stone fireplaces it contains. Although Sanford built the castle to use as a summer home, he and his family only lived there 5 years. It has been abandoned since 1985, and has fallen into such disrepair that it has been condemned by the city of Danbury.

Where did maids sleep in castles?

Most domestic servants would have slept in shared chambers in either the cellars or attics of the castle buildings. There might also be simple buildings outside the castle for herdsmen, mill workers, wood-cutters, and craftspeople such as rope-makers, candle-makers, potters, basket-weavers, and spinners.

How did they wipe in medieval times?

Wiping in the Medieval Times

Before toilet paper was even a concept, people just used whatever was available to wipe. This included items such as hay, wood shavings, corn cobs, and even iron cables. Ancient Romans used a sponge soaked in salt water that was shared by everyone.

Why did they put straw on castle floors?

Historical use

As people got smellier, the use of fragrant herbs became more popular. They were used in all areas of the house, including kitchens, dining halls and bedrooms. The herbs were laid on the floor along with reeds, rushes, or straw, so that pleasant odours would be released when people walked on them.

How often did knights bathe?

Hygiene Habits of the Medieval Knight, The Lady his wife and life companion, and their Fiefdom. Medieval people, far from being individuals who never bathed and stank, did bathe at least once a month. The upper classes and some individuals who were peasants at least tried to wash their faces and hands every morning.

How did they keep castles warm?

Castles weren't always cold and dark places to live.

But, in reality, the great hall of castle had a large open hearth to provide heat and light (at least until the late 12th century) and later it had wall fireplace. The hall would also have had tapestries which would have insulated the room against too much cold.

Why did they stop building castles?

Why did they stop building castles? Castles were great defences against the enemy. However, when gunpowder was invented the castles stopped being an effective form of defence. By the end of the 1300s gunpowder was widely in use.

What is a kitchen in a castle called?

Tasks performed in the scullery include cleaning dishes and cooking utensils (or storing them), occasional kitchen work, ironing, boiling water for cooking or bathing, and soaking and washing clothes.