Medieval Castles and Homes

By Sacha

Back in the Middle Ages, fluffy pillows and big beds would’ve been a luxury. In the Middle Ages the homes had thatched roofs and merchants slept above their stores! I wonder what their homes were like.

In this time, people had different houses depending on their social classes. Peasants had simple, wood houses that had one or two rooms. The windows were small and made to keep out the cold. Also, everyone shared a bed. And you thought sharing a room was hard. What’s more, that bed is filled with lice, fleas and bedbugs. All peasants’ houses were cold, damp, and dark. They were made of wood and had thatched roofs. They didn’t have any chimneys either. Instead they had stone hearths. These hearths were used for both cooking and warmth. Back in the Middle Ages, peasants couldn’t afford much.

Of course, wealthy people had different stories. Their houses were three to four stories high and the walls were covered in tapestries to keep the warmth in as well as a stone hearth. Their floors were even paved with tiles! Some even had stables or large tool sheds in the back of their house. Artisans and merchants had big houses too. Their shops were on the first floor and living quarters on the second and third. Well, they didn’t have a long commute!! Their houses may seem spectacular for the time period, but jus wait to be marveled further.

Castles became important between 400 and 1400 B.C. Castles, as well as the royal family’s home, was used for many purposes. A few are, protection, government meetings, storing goods and tournaments outside. In the beginning, castles were made out of wood and earth. Castles began to be made out of stone in the 1100’s. Some castles were built on or near mountains, hills, rivers, or lakes. Some castles were even built on artificial hills called mottes. Castles also had palisades, or in other words, a wooden wall and bailays, or courtyards.

Castles have many defense mechanisms. One important one is a moat. A moat is basically a river that goes around the castle boundaries. The only ways to get past it are to use the drawbridge or swim. Other defense mechanisms are the towers and the keep. The towers are found at the corners of the castle and were usually round. It has been proven that round towers were better at protecting agenst battering rams than square ones. The keep is refered to as the castles last defence because it is on the inside of the castle and the most protected part. Try attacking a castle now.

Now when you build a castle, remember to make round towers. Build an extra large bed in case you have to share. And most important of all, don’t let the bedbugs bite!!!!!