What was the great hall in a stone keep castle?

What was the great hall in a stone keep castle?

Definition. The Great Hall was the architectural centrepiece of a medieval castle’s interior and functioned as the social and administrative hub of the castle and its estates. With everyone dining and sleeping in the hall in its early days, the room evolved to become the imposing host of banquets and courts.

What is inside a castle keep?

Inside were such buildings as a hall, barracks, chapel, accommodation, and storehouses. An excellent example of a surviving shell keep is at the c. 1150 CE Cardiff Castle, Wales.

Why is a castle called a keep?

Since the 16th century, the English word keep has commonly referred to large towers in castles. The word originates from around 1375 to 1376, coming from the Middle English term kype, meaning basket or cask, and was a term applied to the shell keep at Guînes, said to resemble a barrel.

What was the castle keep and what was its purpose?

Keep’s were built within castles during the Middle Ages and they were used as a refuge or last resort should the rest of the castle fall to enemies. Today keeps are scattered across Europe and form an important part of the architectural heritage.

What is the Great Hall in a castle used for?

great hall, main apartment in a medieval manor house, monastery, or college, in which meals were taken. In large manor houses it also served other purposes: justice was administered there, entertainments given, and often at night the floor was strewn with rushes so that many of the servants could sleep there.

What did a typical Great Hall look like?

A typical great hall was a rectangular room between one and a half and three times as long as it was wide, and also higher than it was wide. It was entered through a screens passage at one end, and had windows on one of the long sides, often including a large bay window.

What is the weakest part of a castle?

The entrance to the castle was always its weakest point. Drawbridges could be pulled up, preventing access across moats. Tall gate towers meant that defenders could shoot down in safety at attacks below. The main gate or door to the castle was usually a thick, iron-studded wooden door, that was hard to break through.

How large is a keep?

Usual height for the motte of a large motte and bailey: 30 feet (9 m). Height of the walls of Framlingham Castle in England: 40 feet (12 m). Height of the keep at Dover Castle in England: 80 feet (24 m).

What furnishings might you find in the Great Hall of a castle?

Great hall

• Wall coverings. Tapestries (fabrics showing woven scenes) and sometimes even carpets were hung on walls to decorate the hall.
• Candles. The castle could be gloomy inside, and only rooms on the upper stories had windows.
• Floor. The floor was usually made of stone.
• Fireplace.
• Coat of arms.

What was the most important room in any castle?

The most important room in a castle was the Great Hall. This is where all the members of the household sat down to eat at tables set up for every meal. It was where feasts were held for special days, or when there were guests. King Arthur’s Pentecost Feast takes place in such a Hall.

Where do the houses sit in the Great Hall?

To the left of the table was a door which led to a chamber with portraits. From the staff table, the House tables were as follows (from left to right): Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin.

How big is the average castle keep?

The average size of a castle depends on how you count them. If we look at only those that are still intact, then they range in size from 12 to 200 acres (5 to 80 hectares). If we include those that are ruined or abandoned, then their average size is much larger – about an acre (0.4 hectare).

What rooms are inside castles?

Below are the main rooms found in medieval castles and large manor houses.

• The Great Hall.
• Bed Chambers.
• Solars.
• Bathrooms, Lavatories and Garderobes.
• Kitchens, Pantries, Larders & Butteries.
• Gatehouses and Guardrooms.
• Chapels & Oratories.
• Cabinets and Boudoirs.

What furnishings might you find in the great hall of a castle?