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But castles 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.Ĭastles would have been filled with people, they of course, needed people to help around the place. When we look at the castle ruins that we can see today, you need to have a good imagination to know what domestic life would have been like back in their prime. What Was Domestic Life like in Medieval Castles? It could also be rather dangerous, so not exactly a sport I would be happy to take part in. The lances took a lot of skill, because they were long and heavy. Both men wore armour and their horses wore richly embroidered cloth. Two men charged on horse back with wooden lances and tried to knock each other off. The activities included jousting, archery competitions, sword fights, and wrestling competitions. Tournaments often went on for several days. When they weren’t planning for a battle, feasting and enjoying food was an important part of medieval life.
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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. 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. The grooms would be caring for the horses, the cooks would be preparing the days meals, and the tradesmen such as blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons would all be performing their normal daily work.ĭaily 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. Many other people would be performing their normal morning functions. Children would be given lessons in various subjects including religion. Knights and squires would have lessons in fencing and other martial arts. The Lord would take meetings regarding diplomacy, trade, warfare, or legal and financial matters and the Lady would often meet with her guests or pursue her personal projects such as needlepoint. The first of the two main meals of the day for the nobles was not served until between 10am and noon (must have been nice for some)!Īfter breakfast the castle inhabitants would begin their daily assigned functions. Servants would have already risen, ensuring that fires were lit in the kitchen and great hall and preparing a small breakfast for the lower orders. Life during the Middle Ages began at sunrise, when a guard trumpeted the day’s start. But hopefully this post will help give you a better idea of what life was like in a medieval castle! 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. It wouldn’t have been easy living a life in a medieval castle (or anywhere in medieval times really), sure you might not have had all the great technology that we have today, but it would still have been very busy. Medieval life in a castle would have been harsh by modern standards, but much better than life for the majority of people at the time.
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They did not have all the comforts that we are so used to, for example, the wind would have whistled through the wooden shutters in the windows and most people slept on benches or on rough mattresses in the great hall. Certainly, if we were to go back in time we would be incredible uncomfortable. You can probably guess that life in the early castles were far from comfortable.
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It would have been ordered and organised, full of pomp and ceremony, but also very cold and smelly! You would find lords, knights, servants, soldiers and entertainers inside the castle. Once upon a time castles were full of life, laughter and crowds of people.
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