Did castles have secret rooms?

Did castles have secret rooms? In addition to hidden passages, many castles had secret chambers that were used to store important documents or valuables. These chambers were often well hidden and could only be accessed through a secret door or trapdoor.

Did castles have guest rooms?

Castle owners always had private 'apartments', or at least a bedroom with an en-suite loo and a chamber where they welcomed visitors. 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.

Did castles have rats?

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.

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.

Why do castles have secret rooms?

These were often used as a means of escape or as a way to move around the castle undetected. The secret passages could be used as an escape route in case of a siege or an invasion, or as a way to move around the castle without being seen by enemies.

What is the biggest room in a castle?

A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, castle or a large manor house or hall house in the Middle Ages, and continued to be built in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries, although by then the family used the great chamber for eating and relaxing.

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.

Why were castles white?

Castle walls could be plastered and whitewashed to protect the walls and mortar. The White Tower in the Tower of London is named for such a reason. Whether a castle would be 'white' would really depend on the plaster used and I'd expect to vary by custom from county to country and from age to age.

Did 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.

Do castles have prisons?

Purpose-built prison chambers in castles became more common after the twelfth century, when they were built into gatehouses or mural towers.

Can I sleep in a castle?

You can stay in castle hotels close to a city, or castle hotels that sit amongst tranquil mountains. You can sleep in a hand-carved four-poster bed and enjoy dinner in a stone-walled restaurant.

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.

Why are there no toilets in Versailles?

Rooms with toilets, cesspools, and drainage systems only started to become common in the 19th century. At the Palace of Versailles, people would conduct their business in the corridors or in the gardens. In 1715, it was decreed that once a week the feces would be collected from the corridors.

Did castles have prisons?

Castles as 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.

How were castles lit at night?

Candles were too expensive (especially beeswax ones) even for the lords of many castles. They used tallow candles (made from the fat of sheep or goats), flaming torches or lamps which burnt fish-oil to light their Great Halls. For decoration, the beams of the Hall were often painted with patterns.

What is the oldest castle still occupied?

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years. It is an official residence of Her Majesty The Queen and is still very much a working royal palace today, home to around 150 people.