How did castles stay lit?

Castles had basic lavatories called garderobes. Light was provided by candles or oil lamps, rarely by the sort of effective torches depicted in Hollywood films. In early medieval times fires were still placed in the centre of the the Great Halll, often with a sort of lantern tower above to let the smoke out.

How did medieval castles light?

Medieval lighting came from large central fireplaces, candles, rush lights, flaming torches or lanterns. Candles, which had been around since Roman times, were made from animal fat, or beeswax if you were wealthy.

How did medieval torches stay lit?

Torch is a rod-like piece of wood with the rag wrapped around one end, which is dipped in some flammable fluid and lit. If that fluid is mixture of sulfur and lime that torch will not extinguish if put into water. Ancient Romans invented and used that kind of torch.

How did they stay warm in castles?

Castles weren't always cold and dark places to live.

But, in reality, the great hall of castle had a large open hearth to provide heat and light (at least until the late 12th century) and later it had wall fireplace. The hall would also have had tapestries which would have insulated the room against too much cold.

How long would medieval torches last?

Such torches projected light to a diameter of roughly 6 meters, did not dazzle torchbearers despite light that was almost five times more intense than a grease lamp, were easy to carry and lasted roughly 40 minutes on average.

What Life Was Like In Medieval Castles

What fuel was used in medieval torches?

Torch construction

In ancient Rome some torches were made of sulfur mixed with lime. This meant that the fire would not diminish after being plunged into water.

How did Romans light fires?

One was by striking a special piece of iron (strike-a-light) on a piece of flint. The other method is by friction of wood on wood. The strike-a-light was most common. Sometimes people used the back of a knife to strike sparks.

Did castles have toilets?

In the medieval period luxury castles were built with indoor toilets known as 'garderobes', and the waste dropped into a pit below.

Were castles clean or dirty?

Castles were very difficult to keep clean. There was no running water, so even simple washing tasks meant carrying a lot of bucketfuls of water from a well or stream. Few people had the luxury of being able to bathe regularly; the community was generally more tolerant of smells and dirt.

How did they shower in medieval times?

Although medieval people didn't bathe in the morning, they used an ewer and basin to wash their hands and face when they woke up. The same equipment was used for handwashing throughout the day.

How long could a torch burn?

Light the torch with a steady, open flame like a lighter or a campfire. It will take 30 seconds or so to light, but soon the entire torch head will be engulfed in flames. The average torch will burn for about 20 minutes.

How do torches stay lit in the rain?

The torch can survive rain as long as it's not "bucketfuls" of water - rain simply evaporates off. If the torch was dropped into water off the side of a boat it would go out but the Torch Team have spares. If there was lightning, the relay might be stopped for safety reasons.

Were candles expensive in the Middle Ages?

Middle Ages

It also emitted a pleasant sweet smell rather than the foul, acrid odor of tallow. Beeswax candles were widely used for church ceremonies, but because they were expensive, few individuals other than the wealthy could afford to burn them in the home.

How often did Royalty bathe in the 1500s?

Clean water was hard to get but even those, who had access to it, rarely bathed. It is believed that King Louis XIV bathed just twice in his lifetime. Not just him, Queen Isabella of Spain bathed once when she was born and once on her wedding day.

How were streets lit in medieval times?

In most medieval European cities, street lighting was either an act of charity (a candle placed before a church or holy relic) or a moving light carried by someone in the street. In Amsterdam this was true throughout the early modern age.

How did they keep warm in medieval times?

Like us, they wore cloaks, scarves, boots and gloves (not the five fingered kind we know, but a more mitten like style). Homes were often smokey from a stone hearth fire that was ventilated by a hole in the roof. This provided warmth but not the kind we would be accustomed to for such cold temperatures.

How did Royalty bathe in medieval times?

Records from medieval England show that its kings often enjoyed these baths. When King John traveled around his kingdom, he took a bathtub with him, and had a personal attendant named William who handled it. Meanwhile, in 1351 Edward III paid for taps of hot and cold water supply to his bathtub at Westminster Palace.

Did castles have windows?

Windows in a real castle are rarely seen below the top floor, although they have been added in later times in many castles. Renaissance windows were added to many medieval castles. Early windows were not large, and often were not glazed.

Did castles have glass windows?

Windows were equipped with wooden shutters secured by an iron bar, but in the 11th and 12th centuries were rarely glazed. By the 13th century a king or great baron might have "white (greenish) glass" in some of his windows, and by the 14th century glazed windows were common.

How did Victorian ladies go to the toilet?

Chamber pots did not always have to sit below a commode. For ease of use, Victorian women could simply hold the chamber pot in their hands, rest a foot on the top of the chair, and hold the chamber pot underneath the skirts.

How did castles get water?

Some moats surrounded the castle itself, while other moats might have enclosed several buildings or even a small town. Moats filled with water were usually supplied by a nearby source of water, such as a spring, lake, or river. Dams could be built that would control the level of water in the moat.

What was hygiene like in medieval times?

Soap was sometimes used and hair was washed using an alkaline solution such as the one obtained from mixing lime and salt. Teeth were cleaned using twigs (especially hazel) and small pieces of wool cloth.

How did ancient Egyptians light fires?

Inside the Ancient Egyptian Home

They would pour oil into a central hole in the lamp, which would then sit in a store in the bowl. A piece of string or linen would then be dipped into the oil and this would soak up the oil and light, producing a steady flame like a candle.

How did they put out fires in ancient times?

They would uses axes, catapults, or ballistae to destroy buildings near a fire to prevent the fire from spreading. It is possible this is was the origin of the phrase "hook and ladder". The Vigiles could also use buckets and water pumps.

What was the early man used as fuel for lighting in the caves?

Wood is the fuel that has been mostly registered in Paleolithic caves linked to the use of torches and fireplaces for lighting.