RESEARCH - Medieval England - Post 4: Housing

 Houses

Obviously, the quality of one's abode depended very much on your social class. But even the homes of the peasants may not have been as dreadful as we first think. 

Of course, plumbing was yet to be invented. And central heating was eons away. But straw roofs were quite effective, and fires were in every household. 

In my research, I was looking at the sort of dwelling in which one would find a knight who had moved to the country. This would have been a manor house. So, let's take a closer look into the rooms you'd expect to find in those.

Rooms of a 15th Century Manor House

Most importantly, there was the Great Hall. At the time, this would have just been called the hall, incidentally. This was where the lord and lady of the house would entertain their guests. As such, it would be the most decorated room. 

The floor would have reeds covering it, with herbs also thrown down to help with the smell. After all, these reeds were not changed very often, and food would probably get spilled. 

A hearth would provide the warmth of a large fire, and large windows would let in daylight. A dais could stand proud, for the most distinguished guests, with trestle tables and benches laid out for others, filtering down in order of rank. 

A minstrels gallery may stand above the Great Hall, along the rear wall. As it suggests, this would be a place for the minstrels to play, entertaining the guests.

This would also be the room where household servants would sleep in. 

The screens passage would lead guests into the Great Hall. This hid the comings and goings as it led to the chapel, kitchen, buttery and pantry.

Morning Mass would be heard daily by the household in the chapel. Stained glass windows would be a feature. An oratory, a smaller private chapel may run off from the chapel, for private family prayers.

The kitchen may be a separate building, connected by a passage or it could be part of the manor building (in later houses). Most of the food preparation and cooking would be done in here.

Out the other side of the kitchen, was the kitchen garden, so the cooks had easy access to the vegetables and herbs.

Here, you'll also find a scullery in its own building. Clothes and dishes were washed here, and ironing was done. It is also where water was heated for bathing and cooking.

The pantry, near the kitchen, was used to store perishable foods and to prepare bread.

The buttery, in the same area as the kitchen and pantry was where ale and candles were stored. Often, a staircase led down to the bottlery/wine cellar (the wine store). 

A granary would house grain, again, separately.

Also outside, you would find stables, a fishpond and maybe even a dovecote.

The Lord's Bath was a stone chamber nearby. Baths were large wooden barrels, which servants would fill with heated water and herbs. A pipe may have carried waste water away. Complete with a dressing area and ledges for accessories, presumably not a rubber ducky though 😉 But yay, bath!

Back through the house and the Great Hall, we find a laver. A stone basin built into the wall. A tank was filled above from buckets, and a tap allowed guests to wash their hands before and after meals. A pipe carried the water away. 

My own photo of Avebury Manor's Tudor bedchamber

Shall we climb the stairs? Yes, in the later medieval period, a bedchamber or solar would be reached on the second storey. Tapestries would adorn the walls.

An ornately carved bed would be in situ, with linen hangings which could be drawn at night; keep the warmth in. A feather mattress would sit atop rope or leather strapping, as well as a coverlet and blankets. Pillows and bolster would be piled high, as sleeping in a more upright position was considered good practice. 

A trundle bed would be stowed under the main one, and could be pulled out for chamber servants.

The fire here would keep the room warm, yet posed a fire hazard, given the wooden floors (with more reeds strewn on). 

The large windows in this room gave its name of solar; they allowed light in. Much business would be conducted in this room. 

In larger homes, an area of the solar may be sectioned off as the bower. This was the lady's private chamber. Embroidery or entertaining may happen in here. This later became the withdrawing room.

Also, leading off of the solar was the wardrobe. This was the area for the lord and lady to dress. The chamberlain would store the fine clothes, expensive spices, money, plate and jewellery in here, and dressmaking was conducted. 

The garderobe/privy was located within/adjacent to the wardrobe. Yes, this was the toilet. A glorified hole, with probably a plank of wood atop it (with a hole in). Some jutted out of the house wall, on a platform. But they all had to lead somewhere; chutes took the...err..waste down to a cesspit or moat. Straw or rags were used for...wiping. A window was happily situated to help alleviate the odour. Bars were in situ to stop intruders entering via the chutes. 

Chamber pots were also used, by the way. 

Oh dear, am I really ending this post by talking about toilets? How unseemly!

NB None of these rooms were really large. Even the Great Hall was probably smaller than you're imagining. Stone houses were often cold and damp, so keeping heat in was a prime consideration.

There are fantastically detailed posts here, by the way: on manor houses and rooms of a castle.

It's actually very difficult to find an authentic house from the era as 99% have been added to over the years as they were just too small! 

But there you have it; a guided tour of a 15th century manor house. Was there anything you found surprising in here?

Always in love and light,

TL

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My book, Love in the Roses is available for pre-order (click here).

To protect her family, she must marry the enemy!

The fictitious tale of a knight’s daughter, living life as it very well may have been in 1484.

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