![]() ![]() The walls often were often hung with rich tapestries, and a fireplace would keep the entire room warm despite the stone walls of the castle.Īs with the great hall, the solars of late medieval manor houses and palaces became far larger and more richly decorated than the ones that can be found in earlier castles. It was typically more finely decorated too, adorned with ornamental woodwork and masonry. It was also used as a place to relax and could function as space for the lord to conduct private business and hold meetings.Īs it was intended as a private space for high-status individuals, the solar was much smaller than the great hall. The solar allowed the lord of the castle and his close household to withdraw into privacy, away from the noise and business of the great hall below. Its name derives from Latin, either from the word solaris meaning ‘sun’ (which could relate to the brightness of the room), or from the word solus meaning ‘alone’. The solar was the private living quarters of the lord of the castle. These upper floor chambers were also known as the ‘Great Chambers’ or alternatively as the ‘Solar’. In some cases, the private bedroom of the lord would have a small hole leading to the great hall, which would allow him to overhear conversation there. Typically, in a medieval castle, servants of the household would have access to these bed chambers in order to tend to their master and mistress, and they often slept on the floor of one of the living rooms, or even on the floor of the bedroom itself in some cases. The private bed chambers of a medieval castle were typically accessed by a small passage at the top end of the great hall – often the bedrooms and living rooms of the lord and lady of the castle, and their close family or honoured guests, would be on the first floor of the structure. Bed Chambers and the Solar De Haar Castle The social distinction between lord and servant became more distinct too, leading to the development of smaller, more private rooms in noble accommodation. Powerful local men were more likely to look to the king for status and protection, meaning lords had smaller inner households. However, by the late 16 th century the great hall was beginning to lose its importance, thanks to the centralisation of power in the hands of royalty. In western France, a smaller, more private hall is known as the salle haute or ‘high room’ emerged, situated on the first floor of manor houses above the larger great hall – it was in this upper hall that the lord and his high-ranking guests would dine and relax. The larger manor houses and grand palaces of the late medieval and early modern period also led to the construction of vaster halls. In a similar vein, as the great hall was the primary room of a castle it was often adorned with other decorations – these impressive rooms would often feature vaulted ceilings and intricate window frame mouldings, for example.Īs the medieval period progressed, great halls became larger as the size of castles increased. Smoke either left the room through a small vent in the ceiling (Ludlow Castle has an example of this), or a chimney was constructed.įireplaces, and in particular mantelpieces, were often elaborately decorated with coats of arms and other heraldic devices carved out of wood, plaster or stone. Great halls also featured large hearths, for the purposes of cooking and heating (although in larger castles kitchens were situated in separate rooms). Usually, there was also a large window allowing natural light into the hall, although in a castle this window could be relatively small so as not to compromise the defensive effectiveness of the fortification. The room would also have a high ceiling as well as a raised area or ‘dais’ at the high end of the hall, where the lord, his household, and his guests would dine, in clear view of the rest of the hall. Typically, a great hall would have a rectangular layout, with a floorplan between one and a half to three times longer than it was wide. The great hall had many different functions: it could be used to receive guests and hold ceremonies it could be used as a dining space, both by the family and household of the castle’s lord and by guests the hall could also double as a sleeping space, with members of the household bedding down on the floor. The Great Hall was the main room of a castle, and the largest room – great halls could also be found throughout the medieval period in palaces and manor houses. 9 Storage Rooms Great Hall Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle ![]()
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