What Life Was Really Like Inside a Medieval Castle
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Maybe it's Maybelline. Across Europe, there are thousands of medieval castles still standing. Perhaps you've been lucky enough to visit one or two. At some point, you've probably wondered, what was life like in these castles? What did people eat? How did they spend their free time? And what about sleeping arrangements? Tonight, we'll find out as we spend 24 hours inside the walls of a medieval castle in Wales. From the lord and lady to the servants in the kitchen, we'll discover what daily life was like for all the people who lived there. So just relax and let your mind drift as we spend a day and night inside a medieval castle.
Imagine a castle somewhere in the Welsh countryside, an imposing stone building with towers and turrets encircled by a moat. Beyond the castle walls are fields, forests, and villages. Despite being relatively small, the country of Wales in the United Kingdom is home to more than 400 castles. Many of them were built in medieval times. You may have heard of some of them, such as Caerphilly, Conwy, and Chepstow. The castle we're visiting today is fictional, but of course, all the details are based on real places. Now imagine the sun rising over the castle, bathing the landscape in golden light. It's autumn, so the sun rises at around six o'clock, and it's the sun rather than a clock that wakes up the castle.
This is the 13th century, and mechanical clocks are not yet commonplace. People organize their days by the sun or the ringing of church bells. In the castle attic and cellar, the servants are the first to awake. They rise from their straw mattresses, get dressed, and then get to work. The castle is chilly at this early hour, and fires must be lit in the kitchen and the great hall. Outside, the night watch comes to an end. The men who have kept guard on the castle walls throughout the long, cold night can now go to their quarters. as others come to take their place. Right now, there are no ongoing wars, but even during peacetime, the castle is always guarded by knights and soldiers. They're on the lookout for thieves or any signs of trouble.
Inside the castle, up the stairs, is the great chamber This is where the lord and lady of the castle sleep, beneath wool blankets and a fur coverlet. The grand wooden frame of their bed elevates them above the cold stone floor and is enclosed by thick curtains. The fire has just been stoked by the servants, who are about to rouse their lord and lady. The Lord, a man in his 30s, inherited this castle from his father. He also owns the surrounding land and several
other
houses in Wales. Indeed, the Lord and his lady don't live in the castle year round. They divide their time between properties, traveling from one to the other with a procession of wagons. Members of their household travel with them, along with valuable items, their bedding, their tapestries, and silverware, and even the bathtub. The lady of the castle is in her 20s. She got married at 14, having been betrothed to her husband since she was a young child. The marriage was arranged by their parents, a strategic alliance between two families, rather than a love match. And yet, the couple have grown fond of each other over the years. They have six children who sleep in chambers on the same floor. The children's nurses are always nearby.
Now, at dawn, the Lord and Lady are awoken. They have a quick wash with a basin of cold water, just the face, armpits, and nether regions. They sometimes clean their teeth too, using a linen cloth and a paste made from ground herbs. Nowadays, there's a common belief that people in medieval times were dirty and unhygienic. It's true that some people washed infrequently or wore filthy clothes.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–8:40
2
What does a typical morning look like for castle servants and guards?
8:40–17:55
3
How did the lord and lady prepare for the day – clothing, washing, and grooming?
17:55–29:51
4
What were the daily hygiene practices and latrine arrangements in a medieval castle?
29:51–39:37