Where did servants sleep in a medieval castle?

Most domestic servants would have slept in shared chambers in either the cellars or attics of the castle buildings. There might also be simple buildings outside the castle for herdsmen, mill workers, wood-cutters, and craftspeople such as rope-makers, candle-makers, potters, basket-weavers, and spinners.



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Lowlier servants slept anywhere within the castle they could find, and in summer started work at 5.30am, continuing until about 7pm. They had few days off and little pay, but were given uniforms (called liveries) in their lord's colours and regular meals all year round.

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In a castle, only the lord and lady would have had a bedroom of their own. They would probably also have been the only ones with a bed. The garrison would have slept in various rooms in the keep, and the servants would have slept where they worked: the kitchen, stables, and so on.

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Below the hall were large rooms where the knights and the king's guards would have slept and eaten. Most people would have slept on the floors rather than in beds and all in the same large room. There was not much privacy. Some castles did not have a central keep but had strong towers built along the curtain walls.

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A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period.

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Bed Chambers The room in the castle called the Lords and Ladies Chamber, or the Great Chamber, was intended for use as a bedroom and used by the lord and lady of the castle - it also afforded some privacy for the noble family of the castle.

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In the chamber – the more private rooms of the castle – there were beds with curtains, giving an extra layer of warmth, and these rooms largely had fireplaces. When there were no fireplaces rooms were heated with moveable fire stands.

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After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.

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