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A long pole running above the headrests allowed the lord and lady of the house to hang their clothes before sleeping. Chests provided storage for non-perishables, with one reserved for spices, fastened by a thick lock, its key carried around by the lady of the house, given the value of these commodities. All around the house, candles and oil lamps would provide enough lighting for life to carry on after dusk. Tallow candles were frequently used, because they could be economically sourced from meat bought for food. Albeit of an unpleasant smell, and somewhat smokey, they were affordable enough to ensure steady supplies. Price lists and expenditure rolls from between the 12th and 15th centuries reveal that beeswax candles, superior in every way, were thrice as expensive as their tallow counterparts.
The Enduring Legacy of Medieval Houses
Towns were living mainly through commerce and trades, and convenience and sociability were of less importance when compared to the owner’s trade. Business had to be transacted in front of the house, where the open workshops were located, such as they could be looked into from the street. The spaces created by this frame were filled with wattle and daub – essentially reeds and branches strengthened with moist materials that could remain somewhat firm when dry.
manor house
Extended families lived together, and neighbors often visited to socialize, share stories, and help with chores. Festivals and fairs were also important social events that brought people together and provided a welcome break from the monotony of daily life. These distinctive architectural features are what make medieval houses so unique and enchanting. They provide a glimpse into the past and remind us of the ingenuity and creativity of our ancestors. California might not come to mind as a place with many castles, but The Golden State offers some beautiful, stately buildings that resemble castles and/or include "castle" in their names. Though none of them were built in the middle ages, these castles still wow and amaze with their beautiful builds and historic feels.
Wattle and Daub: The Ingenious Building Technique That Shaped Medieval Peasant Homes
All three of these metals are used one way or another in medieval architecture. The three main parts of a medieval manor are the manor house, the land that often included deer parks and some sort of protection elements like a fence. A crenellated curtain wall enclosed a courtyard and was accessed from a stone gatehouse, which have both since been destroyed. The main building itself has two stories, and there would have been plenty of room within the wall circuit for economic buildings such as bakeries and storehouses. This heavily fortified manor house was constructed in the late 13th century by Laurence of Ludlow, a wealthy wool merchant who wished to build a centre to his estate.
Between these two rooms, there would be a central hall, with a hearth providing the household with heating, for comfort and culinary uses. A wealthy homeowner’s longhouse usually had planks for flooring, as well as intricately carved or painted walls. Medieval castles were built from materials available in the region and were dependent on costs and design, and ultimately on what the owner could afford.
In what is now Koreatown, Studio Court’s eccentric caretaker would live on-site until his death at the age of 101, constantly adding on to his own little sliver of Denmark in LA. “Hollywood, as always giving the public what they wanted, began cranking out exotic stuff,” Gellner says. Films like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Robin Hood, set in historic time periods and featuring recreated foreign locations, were smash hits. “The backdrops constructed for these films were works of art in themselves, and many of the same techniques were eventually applied to storybook style buildings,” he says. With the exception of Limestone (Purbeck marble) that was used for some Cathedrals, marble and granite were not commonly used in the middle ages England. In later times (Renaissance) Marble is used to construct mostly civic buildings and in some cases religious.
Fortunately for those of us who can only gawk at what a really rich man can create, the castle is now a California state park and open to visitors. It has 107 rooms with four separate levels underground and four levels above. That was the corner where the police would always go looking for kids who had eggs in their pockets or whatever nonsense they would do on Halloween, so it came to represent Beverly Hills at Halloween. Oliver would be nominated for Oscars for his art direction of Seventh Heaven and Angel Street.
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Secondary materials
Moreover, preserving medieval houses can have significant economic benefits, as these structures are often popular tourist destinations, contributing to local economies. By preserving these cultural heritage sites, we can also support local communities and promote sustainable tourism that respects the cultural and historical significance of the landmarks. Fortified structures were symbolic of their owner’s wealth and political power. Although manor houses sometimes had defensive elements, they could not hope to withstand attack from a determined enemy, especially if they were equipped with siege engines.
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In the 1940s, he became a self-described “desert rat,” moving to the Coachella Valley and refashioning himself as an artist, writer, humorist, and preservationist. During his decades “haunting Palm Springs,” Oliver lived in a mud adobe called Fort Oliver, which he had made by hand. The development in the halftone process also brought photographs to magazines, replacing old-fashioned engravings.
They offer a glimpse into the past and help us better understand the daily lives and social structures of our medieval ancestors. By preserving and protecting these structures, we can ensure that their legacy continues to inspire future generations. Peasant’s houses were made from wattle and daub (twigs, straw, and mud), and later with logs; the dwellings had thatched roofs. Luxuries like second floors and out-buildings were beyond their means, so everyone slept together near the fireplace. Later, as the wage gaps differentiated, various levels of housing between these two extremes developed.
This can best be seen in the February page for Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, which was originally made between 1412 and 1416 and is often considered a masterpiece of manuscript art. The house would have been very dark and smoky inside as there is no chimney and only a small window. The animals would have been housed in a separate building, probably a wooden barn, and another building would have been used to store crops which were grown on the land around the house. Medieval Britain explores castles, towns and medieval life in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It seems that peasants had to obtain timber by buying it on the open market (Archaeology UK). Guild records from the year 1500 AD show that a small oak tree cost 3d each and great oaks 8d.
Thatch, made from straw or reeds, was commonly used for roofing, especially in rural settings. Bricks, though used less frequently than timber or stone, also found their place in the medieval house construction, especially in regions where clay was plentiful. The fact that a building was built in stone showed the wealthiness of its owner. The medieval house stands as a testament to a time when architecture was both a craft and an essential aspect of daily life. These structures, shaped by the socio-political climates of their respective eras, were not just mere dwellings; they were symbols of status, power, community, and culture. The enduring charm of medieval house building lies not just in its stone and timber but in the stories these walls have witnessed and the history they’ve endured.
