The focus of domestic life in a medieval castle would have been the Great Hall, which was a common feature to almost every castle in England. These would have included everything from cooks to gardeners, grooms and horse-men, and all important treasurers, who would look after the finances of the entire estate. How many people would have worked or lived within a castle? Well, it evidently depends on the size of the castle, but, for a site like Goodrich Castle in England, you could expect around 100-150 people to surround the Lord’s family. When you’re exploring a castle today, it’s hard to grasp just how busy and how bustling that same castle would have been at the height of medieval times.Ĭastles were partially built to demonstrate the power and significance of their Lord and master, and would have had a vast retinue of servants who would have catered to the needs of the noble family. Credit: Ioan Sameli CC-BY-2.0 A Picture of Domestic Life in a Medieval Castle The damp dungeons of Chillon Castle in Switzerland are brilliantly atmospheric. Prisoners were most often kept for political reasons, and were sometimes held in terrible conditions. Some castles occasionally even housed prisoners in their dungeons. These obstacles included everything from moats (sometimes with spikes within) to gatehouses which contained all manner of obstacles, tricks and traps.
There were many different obstacles built to defend Medieval castles. Preparations were made to defend the castle in case it came under siege, and machinery was made to defend the castle in times of attack.Ĭastles were constantly re-designed and adapted to provide the best possible defence against new and unwelcome threats. On many days, knights would have practiced their skills to defend their lord – and his king – in battle. However, of course, life in a Medieval castle would have also included military activities. Life without electricity in a Medieval Castle. Life in a medieval castle was filled with a constant hubbub of busied work in the kitchens, preparations for celebrations in the Great Hall, and religious worship in each castle’s own chapel.Īnd the layout of a typical Medieval castle tended to be influenced by domestic needs rather than defensive concerns. To serve the lord, most castles would have been places of frenzied domestic activity. Each new castle secured the power of the local lord over his vassals. They cemented a new social system of feudalism in place. Essentially, castles were at the heart of Medieval society.Ĭastles were built in England and Wales after 1066.
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