Medieval castle interior designs

 Medieval Castle Building required higher levels of comfortable castle living - the interiors had to be designed to suit the Lords and Ladies of the land!

Changes to Medieval Castle Interiors

• The Medieval era saw improved tools such as the chisel, as opposed to axes, which led to more decorative designs and tracery skills reflected in the Medieval Castle Interiors

• Plumbing improved and lead was often used for the gutters

• Wainscoting was introduced - wooden panels were used to line the walls of a room replacing the whitewash of previous castle interiors

• Medieval Artists were employed - wall paintings covered the walls above the wainscoting.

• Interiors were highly colourful - gold paint was a luxurious item which was used in vast quantities.

• Fireplaces were a necessary feature of Medieval Castle Building and chimneys were introduced replacing the central hearths with canopies and escape louvres in the roof

• Thatching was still used for roofs but stone slates, tiling and plastered straw was introduced to reduce the risk of fire

• Additional interior staircases were introduced - many for the private use of the Lords of the castle

• Windows were much bigger, due to the introduction of the pointed arch which could support greater weight, allowing the walls of the Medieval Castle to be thinner with wider window openings

• Panes of glass were added, replacing horn or wooden shutters, and the interior of the castle became lighter and airier

• Glass windows were often painted with armorial designs - more interior design features!

• Kitchens were integrated into the Medieval stone castle - they included cooking ovens for baking and huge fireplaces for smoking and roasting food. They also had a water supply complete with a sink and drainage

• Cleanliness improved and lavers ( stone basins used for washing ) were provided at the entrances of the dining halls

• Bathing was usually conducted in wooden barrels but simply designed bathrooms were added in Medieval Castle interiors for the Lords

• There were many lavatories, called garderobes or privies, included in Medieval Castle interiors. The Privy chambers were positioned as far away from the interior chambers as practical and often had double doors added to reduce the smell! Chutes were provided for the discharge which often led to the castle moat. Privy seats were made of wood or stone

• A limited number of Carpets and mats were introduced to castle interiors but floors strewed with straw or rushes were still favoured. Sweet smelling herbs such as lavender, camomile, rose petals, daisies and fennel were added to disguise the bad smells of the castles which were prevalent due to the inadequate plumbing systems

• Lighting - Three types of methods were used to light the interiors of Medieval castles

1. Rush Dips - These were tapers made out of the stalks of rushes which had been dipped in melted fat and then dried. The rush dip was then placed into a receptacle called a 'Nip'. It provided a weak light which lasted about half and hour
2. Candles - candles were home made from animal fat. Placed in candle sticks they lasted longer than the rush dips
3. Torches - Torches were used to light the interiors of large areas such as the Great Hall
4. Lanterns - or 'lanthorns'. A candle was stuck into a metal frame with sides made of thin, transparent horns

http://www.castles.me.uk/medieval-castle-interiors.htm





ROOMS


The number of rooms in a medieval castle varied according to the wealth of the owner who commissioned the building of the castle.
 
The tower keep generally had two or three storeys:

• Ground Floor were a kitchen and storeroom
• First Floor housed the Great Hall (optional - would only be built if the location was of significant political or military importance and semi-permanent occupation of the castle was envisioned)  
• Top floor housed the Lord's apartments.

THE GREAT HALL - intended for the main meeting and dining area and used by everyone who lived in the castle. The Great Hall was a large one-room structure with a loft ceiling which was located in the Inner Ward. At the end of the Great Hall was the Dais which was a raised platform for the high table where the highest ranking Lord and Nobles were seated.

The Lord's family at first slept at the extreme upper end of the hall located beyond the dais. These sleeping quarters were only separated by a curtain or a screen. This sleeping arrangement quickly changed and private rooms were added to a castle called the Lord and Ladies Chamber.


THE LORDS & LADIES CHAMBER - or the Great Chamber, was intended for use as a bedroom and used by the lord and lady of the castle - it also afforded some privacy for the noble family of the castle. This type of chamber was originally a partitioned room which was added to the end of the Great Hall. The Lords and Ladies chamber were subsequently situated on an upper floor when it was called the solar.

THE SOLAR - intended for sleeping and private quarters and used by the Lord's family. Personal servants of the lord might often sleep in the lord's chamber on a portable pallet. The solar suite of rooms was extended to include a wardrobe.

THE WARDROBE - intended as a dressing room and storage room for clothes and used by Lord of the castle. This private room also became the storage room for costly, personal items such as jewels, coins, furs, spices, and plates.


THE MINSTREL'S GALLERY - intended for the Lord's musicians and situated on a raised gallery overlooking the Great Hall


THE KITCHEN - included cooking ovens for baking and huge fireplaces for smoking and roasting food. They also had a water supply complete with a sink and drainage. The kitchens were built against the curtain wall, in the inner bailey and connected to rooms called the Buttery and the Bottlery

THE BUTTERY - storing and dispensing beverages, especially ale.

THE BOTTLERY - intended for storing and dispensing wines and other expensive provisions. It was usually located between the Great Hall and the Kitchen. A store room for provisions.

THE PANTRY -  intended for the storage of perishable food products

THE STOREROOM Their were often several Storerooms in the castle often located over the buttery and pantry. Used to store non-perishable kitchen items and products.
 

THE CHAPEL - intended for prayer and used by all members of the castle household. The chapel was usually close to the Great hall. The Chapel was often built two stories high, with the nave divided horizontally.

THE ORATORY - intended for use as a private chapel. A small room attached to the chapel used for private prayer by the Lord's family.

 
THE CASEMATE - was a later addition to the castle and was a covered chamber for storing musketry or artillery.


THE MEZZANINE - the floor or landing between two main storeys


 
THE BAILEY/WARD - a courtyard within the walls of the castle

More information can be found  http://www.castles.me.uk/rooms-in-a-medieval-castle.htm




Medieval Castle Furniture
 
Initially light and portable due to the constant movement of the Lords and Nobles of the land.

Types of castle furniture:

• Portable Furniture
• Built-in Castle Furniture
• Everyday, utilitarian furniture 
• Highly decorated and rich furniture used for show

Medieval castle furniture was made from these types of wood:

• Oak
• Ash
• Elm
• Poplar
• Larch
• Beech

Items of Medieval furniture were covered in a variety of materials including:

• Leather
• Velvet
• Tapestry work

The portable types of furniture included:

• Beds and Pallets
• Stools
• Benches
• Trestle tables
• Folding chairs
• Chests
• Coffers ( Strongbox)
• Buffets
• Wooden barrels used as baths

The built-in types of furniture featured strongly in the Medieval Kitchens and included:

• Built-in Cooking ovens
• Sinks
• Fireplaces
• Larders
• Cupboards
• Window seats
• Wall seats

FURNITURE IN THE GREAT HALL


The castle furniture in the room called the Great Hall was centred around the dining arrangements. Individual chairs were quite a luxury and wooden benches were more commonly used furniture to sit on. Trestle tables were used for dining. There were some free-standing tables which were occasionally covered with a linen cloth.


BEDROOM FURNITURE FOR THE RICH NOBLES 
The base of the bed was made of wooden frames with holes in them. Rope was pulled through the holes in a criss-cross pattern which formed the base of the bed. A mattress was usually made of feathers and placed on top of the base. The bed canopy assemblage consisted of a bed head, or tester, rising to a suspended frame, which was covered and draped in fabric. The bed would have sheets, quilts, fur coverlets, and pillows. The whole bed could be enclosed by curtains.

 
BEDROOM FURNITURE FOR THE POOR

The beds used by the poor were called pallets or trundles. The mattresses were made of straw.

 
CASTLE FURNITURE IN THE WARDROBE
  
This private room also became the storage room for costly, personal items such as jewels, coins, furs, spices, and plates and therefore would be furnished with various chests and coffers

More info can be found http://www.castles.me.uk/medieval-castle-furniture.htm