Fun Facts About Medieval Castles
While the strong and massive castles of the medieval period stir up images of knights, drawbridges and moats, some interesting facts are lesser known and just plain fun to read about.
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Buttery and Bottlery
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The busy kitchen in larger castles had special rooms set aside for storing food and drinks. The buttery held large kegs of ale, and the person in charge was called the butler. Another room, the bottlery, held the castle's wine, with the man in charge called the bottler.
Bathtubs
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Bathing took place in a large wooden barrel cut in half. Servants heated and carried the water. The tub would be placed by a fire in winter, but in warmer weather, the tub would possibly be placed outdoors.
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Tower Design
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The stone towers of castles were originally built in square shapes. Following the Crusades, they were replaced by rounded towers, which were easier to defend and provided better lines of sight and overall visibility.
Prisons
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Toward the end of the medieval period, warfare moved away from castles to open fields. Many castles then housed political prisoners -- the Tower of London and the Bastille being among the most famous.
Windsor Palace
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Currently the home of Queen Elizabeth, Windsor Palace in England is the largest, continually inhabited palace in the world, covering almost 13 acres. The original castle was built there by William the Conqueror around 1070.
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- Photo Credit chateau de val image by david hughes from Fotolia.com
