What's inside a castle?

Inside the castle walls there might have been a magnificent hall, comfortable chambers and a beautiful chapel. Larger castles had their own fish ponds, orchards and vineyards, as well as gardens which supplied vegetables and herbs. Cattle sheep and pigs were kept on surrounding farm land.

What is inside of castle?

The inner bailey or inner ward of a castle is the strongly fortified enclosure at the heart of a medieval castle. It is protected by the outer ward and, sometimes also a Zwinger, moats, a curtain wall and other outworks. Depending on topography it may also be called an upper bailey or upper ward.

What are things in a castle?

A typical European castle was like a little village inside, with kitchens, workshops, gardens, stables, and a chapel. This castle is built of stone, but many early castles were wooden.

What do castles usually have?

Castles usually consisted of a group of buildings that were surrounded by a huge wall and a moat designed to keep attackers out. Castles were often built on the tops of hills so the people inside could see attackers coming from a distance.

What buildings are inside a castle?

What rooms are inside REAL medieval castles?

Do castles have bedrooms?

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

Do castles have living rooms?

There was often a private chapel too. These were usually in the safest part of the castle, and only trusted servants or honoured guests were allowed in. Some castles had their lordly living rooms in a completely separate building; a castle within a castle, which could be defended even if the rest of the fortress fell.

How thick are castle walls?

The height of walls varied widely by castle, but were often 2.5–6 m (8.2–19.7 ft) thick. They were usually topped with crenellation or parapets that offered protection to defenders.

What are 3 features of a castle?

external features - such as towers battlements, thick walls, a moat, a drawbridge, etc. internal features - such as a well, large stores to guard against siege, a hall for everyone to socialise.

What was life like inside a castle?

Life in a castle in medieval times was very dark and cold. Windows were narrow, open slits. Toilets were benches with holes in. The waste would drop into a stinky cesspit or the moat.

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 rooms do castles have?

What is life living in a castle?

Many people would have lived and worked in the castle. They would cook and clean for the lord or king. There would also be a gardener, stable hands, a blacksmith, a baker and a treasurer who counted all the money. Life in a castle in medieval times was very dark and cold.

What were the main features of a castle?

The typical features of a medieval castle were: Moat - a perimeter ditch with or without water. Barbican - a fortification to protect a gate. Curtain Walls & Towers - the perimeter defensive wall.

What is the most rooms in a castle?

Sammezzano Castle: A Moorish Masterpiece

This spectacular castle has a rectangular floor plan and is spread over three floors and a basement. The castle has 365 rooms, one for every day of the year and no two rooms are the same.

What was 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.

What makes castles strong?

Castles are usually built on high ground with clear views of the surrounding lands – and both of these things make them difficult to attack. Prudhoe was built on a hill top ridge with an 18m drop on the north side and a deep ravine on the south side.

Why were castles built?

Castles could serve as a centre for local government, administration and justice. They were also used by powerful lords to display their wealth and power through lavish architectural styles and decoration. Castles were not only built and used by the crown.

What is the main part of a castle?

As the main entrance to the castle, the gatehouse was probably the first part of a castle to be completed. The gatehouse usually consisted of a stone-built building with a central entrance guarded either by a bridge, gates, portcullis or combination of these.

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.

How big is a normal castle?

Area covered by the bailey in a standard motte and bailey: 3 acres (1 ha). Area covered by Malbork Castle in Poland: 5 square miles (13 square km). Approximate dimensions of the largest keeps: 100 feet by 100 feet (30.5 m by 30.5 m).

Are castle walls solid?

Walls. Walls were generally built of stone within wooden frames designed to hold the stone in place while the mortar dried. For thick walls, the wall was usually constructed with a cavity that was filled with rubble rather than being solid stone.

What do castles smell like?

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

Do castles have prisons?

Purpose-built prison chambers in castles became more common after the 12th century, when they were built into gatehouses or mural towers. Some castles had larger provision for prisoners, such as the prison tower at Caernarfon Castle.

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.