Crowd to a castle

[StannisTheMannis]

I've always found that combining two different histories/cultures confuses the history gnomes (of which I am one). That way, you can draw on history, and also make it unique. From there, you find that history plots blend and soon you will be spinning off your own.

 

[Gurkhal]

I've always found that combining two different histories/cultures confuses the history gnomes (of which I am one). That way, you can draw on history, and also make it unique. From there, you find that history plots blend and soon you will be spinning off your own.

True, true. One of the dangers is of course that it could end up confusing me but I see your point. I'll take a look at Norse society as well and see if I can shake something from it.

 

[StannisTheMannis]

True, true. One of the dangers is of course that it could end up confusing me but I see your point. I'll take a look at Norse society as well and see if I can shake something from it.

I'm currently working to combine Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome.

 

[chrispenycate]

There's a lot of diversity in size, sophistication and even function among castles. The one I used to live in (I had one room, not an appreciable space) was on the small side, a king's hunting lodge (if you hunt dangerous animals), and southern European (Savoie), so doesn't really qualify for your inquiry - a king brought a mistress back from the crusades, and had a castle built to make her feel at home, no oubliettes, no torture chamber, fact nothing to laugh at at all. But the original construction involved no corridors, go through a room to a room; there was a well within the walls and the number of staircases left you wondering about transporting buckets to the upper chambers - before running water was installed (from the looks of the pipes, about a century ago). Outbuildings, presumably stables and byres, obviously had had habitation above the animals' quarters, as well as hay bales - it didn't do to have allergies back then. There was a forge, too, but whether it was for a farrier or weapons and tools is difficult to judge. But outside the main defence wall, like the animals.

A big castle is almost like a small town, or large military encampment. In fact, the difference between a small walled town and a large castle is difficult to define except that the castle's walls are generally higher in proportion, and there are fewer, larger buildings. When attacked the local peasants would take refuge, with their animals, within the walls (means there is fresh meat during a siege) so there's a space like a market square, or parade ground, within the defences. Kitchen facilities you can instantly increase - I've never seen the bread oven for a big castle, but in the small one it could have done perhaps six loaves at a time. At that, they'd have to do a couple of batches a day, and feast days bring in extra help from the village. The chapel in the little castle could hold the priest and four others, presumably the family. The equivalent larger might hold a hundred, and the great hall three times that.

Most villages with castles, it would be the centre of local festivities, having the space to congregate the entire local population.

 

[Gurkhal]

I'm currently working to combine Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome.

Sounds like a cool thing. How is it coming about?

There's a lot of diversity in size, sophistication and even function among castles. The one I used to live in (I had one room, not an appreciable space) was on the small side, a king's hunting lodge (if you hunt dangerous animals), and southern European (Savoie), so doesn't really qualify for your inquiry - a king brought a mistress back from the crusades, and had a castle built to make her feel at home, no oubliettes, no torture chamber, fact nothing to laugh at at all. But the original construction involved no corridors, go through a room to a room; there was a well within the walls and the number of staircases left you wondering about transporting buckets to the upper chambers - before running water was installed (from the looks of the pipes, about a century ago). Outbuildings, presumably stables and byres, obviously had had habitation above the animals' quarters, as well as hay bales - it didn't do to have allergies back then. There was a forge, too, but whether it was for a farrier or weapons and tools is difficult to judge. But outside the main defence wall, like the animals.

A big castle is almost like a small town, or large military encampment. In fact, the difference between a small walled town and a large castle is difficult to define except that the castle's walls are generally higher in proportion, and there are fewer, larger buildings. When attacked the local peasants would take refuge, with their animals, within the walls (means there is fresh meat during a siege) so there's a space like a market square, or parade ground, within the defences. Kitchen facilities you can instantly increase - I've never seen the bread oven for a big castle, but in the small one it could have done perhaps six loaves at a time. At that, they'd have to do a couple of batches a day, and feast days bring in extra help from the village. The chapel in the little castle could hold the priest and four others, presumably the family. The equivalent larger might hold a hundred, and the great hall three times that.

Most villages with castles, it would be the centre of local festivities, having the space to congregate the entire local population.

Thank you very much for this! Love to hear inspirational stories about castles.