While researching Bodiam I came across this new castle finished last year. Pretty impressive, and certainly has captured that castle feel to it. I emailed the owners the link to the site and hopefully they will take the time to visit and discuss all the issues involved in building their magnificent new home.

 

http://www.pitt.edu/~caram/castleindex.htm

 

The great hall is really where this castle shines in my opinion. Bit of a shame the property is so small, and you can see modern homes close by.

I've visited that web page before.

I'm all for people living their dream, and for retaining the right to design it to meet their own requirements rather than bow to authenticity, but for me such structures do not represent castles, or life in castles, being more like permanent hollywood film sets which on film can portray {with varying degrees of effectiveness}, the surroundings and atmosphere, but do not accurately reflect what living the experience would really be like.

Castles by our standards were damp, malodourous, and uncomfortable. Although they were the homes of the upper eschelons of society in their day, modern builders often forget that our perceptions of what constituted comfort are centuries of development ahead of the medieval experience.

Who nowadays would hang their clothes in the toilet (garderobe) because the ammonia released by stale urine repels moths? Just one of the home comforts available in real medieval castle life!

My old argument on this topic.

ammonia released by stale urine

 

I have a few deferring thoughts but the one that stands out is what I saw in a couple of castles. The garderobe was seperated from where they hung the clothes in the hall way. Close within a meter but still separate.

This was in Cork county, Ireland.

 

Then theirs the castles that had running water down the chute and why all the niches in many of the castle walls near a garderobe that seem to fit buckets? Or what would stop a person from pouring the water from a wash basin, again many castles had one near by, down the chute? Some castles even had drains from the built in basin.

And the straw that was put under many of the chutes would have kept the smell at bay and provided compost materials as well.

Its a extremely old bit of knowledge that lime will deaden smells and it would have helped the straw/excrement mix to decompose too.

 

I've seen people today that had no idea of hygiene and their houses smelled of stale urine. IMO castle lifestyles varied as much as the people that lived there.

 

Not to be picking on you my friend but if castles were as bad as all that Why the heck are Meg and I building one?

Crazy maybe ...... but definitely NOT masochistic)

Castles by our standards were damp, malodourous, and uncomfortable. Although they were the homes of the upper eschelons of society in their day, modern builders often forget that our perceptions of what constituted comfort are centuries of development ahead of the medieval experience.

Pretty much all the older castles still in service have some modern retrofits bringing them into the present, such as adding electricty, modern plumbing, etc. Are you arguing that such adaptions make them no longer a castle?

 

This is a home built by SCA members, who's motto is along the lines of "Medieval life the way it should have been" Not so much about authenticity as capturing the feel of the period.

Medieval life the way it should have been

I'm not sure I knew they looked at things from that point of view and it would explain much, thanks.

Pretty much all the older castles still in service have some modern retrofits bringing them into the present, such as adding electricty, modern plumbing, etc. Are you arguing that such adaptions make them no longer a castle?

No, I'm simply making the point that some (not all) portray their life as authenticly medieval, when it is far from that. Also that for some, they have an altered perception of what medieval life was really like, and are actually trying to recreate a fantasy of medieval life.

People like Meg and Ralph are building themselves a castle, but do not make any pretence regarding the lifestyle they lead or intend to lead. It is perfectly acceptable to live in a castle with modern adaptations, but to portray that as medieval life is as erroneous as it is misleading.

Medieval life the way it should have been

..but wasn't, ie it's fantasy, and there's nothing wrong with that as long as those who participate are honest about it.

It's all very well riding your white charger over the draw bridge and into the courtyard, but when it has four wheels, a V6 engine, spoilers and racing suspension, it throws it toward the realms of delusion, if the driver is actually acting out the part on the way over!

As much fun as living a fantasy sounds I don't think I have the will power to over come the reality of building this place.

If say I imagine a knight riding through the front gate, my mind would be going through thoughts of better security measures, then how was that allowed to happen, and after all that comes in depth details of what hasn't been done or what could have been built differently.

 

Besides a 500+ horsepower truck engine just some how doesn't translate to a knights charger ...... or does it ??????

Well I can dream can't I

I'm not sure I knew they looked at things from that point of view and it would explain much, thanks.

 

Yeah, SCA has always been plagued by exactly how "realistic" they should be. Some folks naturally are purists, while others are in it just for the fun of it and to bash each other with sticks. :)

 

From the main sca.org page:

You will frequently hear SCA participants describe the SCA as recreating the Middle Ages "as they ought to have been." In some ways this is true – we choose to use indoor plumbing, heated halls, and sewing machines. In the dead of winter we have more to eat than King's venison, salt pork and dried tubers. However, a better description is that we selectively recreate the culture, choosing elements of the culture that interest and attract us.

Given that I participate from time to time myself, and my own future castle will have plenty of modern amenities, I don't hold it against them. *grin*

Our member Galla where ever she went is a member also.

 

Meg and I for years have been offered places with in the SCA due to our way of life. Many of the Ren Fair Players also know us and none of this is by our design because we are not social critters.

We've acted as advisers so many times I can't count. We've been told we are marked and pointed out to new people due to our attitudes and knowledge of the past.

 

The organization has changed around here in the last 10 or so years and its been for the better. I'm not saying we had anything to do with it either ... or none that we claim any way.

 

Oh sure there are still some that harbor ideas that border on the comic but hey, As in all things there are good and bad with alot of gray in between.