Are castles cold drafty?
Are castles cold drafty? Castles were cold, damp, and drafty. Some rooms had fireplaces, but not all did. Carpets covered walls—not floors—and helped keep out the cold. Everyone sat on hard wooden benches, except the very richest lords and ladies, who sat on chairs.
Did old 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.
How did they insulate castles?
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.
What was hygiene like in a medieval castle?
Washing and Bathing Was Very Uncommon In medieval times, the wealthy would take a bath every other month. If you were poor, you'd be lucky to bath 4 times per year. There was no hot water so it had to be carried in through a well and then heated over a fireplace.
Did castles have showers?
Medieval castles did not have bathrooms with running water, yet people did like to bathe. In some castles there was a room next to the kitchen where women bathed in groups.
Were medieval castles smelly damp and dark?
The first stone castles built were cold, dark, smelly and damp. Inside the castle walls, floor coverings consisted of straw rushes and, later, sweet smelling herbs to mask the smell of animal excrement, grease, rotting food and beer.
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.
When did we stop living in castles?
By the 1600s, people didn't want to live in cold and damp castles anymore. Kings, queens and noble men wanted to show off how important and rich they were so they built palaces and great houses. Many existing castles were replaced with much grander homes.
How uncomfortable is living in a castle?
Living in a historical castle would not have been pleasant—in fact, lords wealthy enough to afford multiple residences often spent hardly any time in their castles, preferring their much more comfortable manor houses. Castles were cold, dark, smelly, unsanitary, and just overall not great to live in.
How do 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.
Were castles comfortable to live in?
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.
Is it cold inside medieval times?
always warm- just above normal room temperature.
What were castle walls filled with?
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.
How did medieval castles get water?
The well – as well as any available cisterns – provided a protected source of drinking water for the castle garrison in peace and war and also for any civil population seeking refuge during a siege.
Were moats filled with sewage?
It turns out that those fairy tales you read as a child all left out a very important truth: The moats that surrounded medieval castles weren't just useful defenses against attack; they were also open sewers into which the castles' primitive waste disposal systems flushed human excrement and other foul substances.
Were castles cold and damp?
Castles were cold and damp. The heat came only from fireplaces. Light came from the sun or from torches. Tapestries, or large rugs, were hung on the walls to keep heat inside.
Why were castles so uncomfortable?
Living in a medieval castle was often uncomfortable and even hazardous, particularly for those who were not part of the nobility or royalty. For example, despite their grandeur and imposing appearance, many castles lacked basic amenities like running water, central heating, and proper ventilation.
Why were castles so cold?
“Things we take for granted, like tomatoes and peppers, they didn't have in Europe in the Middle Ages. Those came from this continent. They didn't have oranges, those came from Africa,” Bachrach said. Without electricity and just wood for heat, castles were often dark and cold in Medieval times, Bachrach said.
Why do castles last so long?
Initially, castles were built out of wood, but eventually, people made castles from stone because they were stronger and lasted longer. Castles usually consisted of a group of buildings that were surrounded by a huge wall and a moat designed to keep attackers out.
Did medieval castles smell?
Life in a Medieval Castle: Cold, Dark, and Very Smelly! To our modern standards of living, most Medieval castles would have been incredibly cold, cramped, totally lacking privacy, and would have been disgustingly smelly (and likely home to more than a fair share of rats!).
How thick were castle keep 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.