It was a very tiny room that contained a latrine, which often emptied into an area outside the castle. GarderobeĪ garderobe was the medieval version of a bathroom, but it looked a bit different from any bathroom you’d expect to use today. It was also used as a place to relax and could function as a space for the lord to conduct private business and hold meetings as well. The solar allowed the lord of the castle and his close household to withdraw into privacy, away from the noise and business of the great hall below. The solar also incorporated living quarters of the lord of the castle. Sometimes this space is called “the Lords and Ladies Chamber” or the “Great Chamber.”Īt first, bed chambers were typically attached to the great hall, but castles built in the later middle ages had bed chambers (sometimes called solars) on a higher floor of the castle. While some castle residents slept in the great hall, the lord and lady had a separate bed-chamber, where they slept in beds and their servants slept on the floor. In some areas, the great room would have a peephole or special listening device so the lord of the castle could watch or listen to what was happening from his bedroom. Usually there was also a large window allowing natural light into the hall, although in a castle this window could be relatively small so as not to compromise the defensive effectiveness of the fortification. They were typically very long with a high ceiling and an enormous fireplace, sometimes big enough to stand inside. In order to accommodate these purposes, great halls were typically larger and more decorative than other rooms in the castle. A raised platform or ‘dais’ at the high end of the hall was where the lord and lady, as well as their honoured guests, would sit during court or when dining. In some cases, the lord and lady of the castle might use it to receive guests or as a courtroom. The household would dine together in the great hall and the less-important residents would sleep on its floor at night. Great Hall of Edinburgh Castleįound throughout Europe, but especially in France, England, and Scotland, the great hall served as the main gathering space for all castle residents. Medieval writers often waxed poetic about the great hall, associating it with warmth and celebration. If you read medieval literature, you’ve probably seen mentions of the Great Hall. 5 FAQ’S about the Medieval Castle Layout Castle Layout: Spaces for Living and Sleeping Great Hall
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