What It Was Like To Live In A Medieval Castle

During the medieval period in Europe, castles were the strongest fortified structures that housed royalty and nobility. With many still standing today, these structures were public defenses that guarded and controlled the surrounding lands. While most people have seen castles in films or read about them in novels, few know what it was actually like to live in one. Read on to learn how living in a medieval castle may have been better than living in a peasant’s hut, but wasn’t all it’s been made out to be.

Castles Were Packed With People

When most people think of castles, an image of a king or a lord might come to mind. However, they were greatly outnumbered by the other hundreds of people that lived within the confines of its walls.

People in a banquet hall
English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images
English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Not only did the ruler of the castle typically live with their entire extended family, but the castle had to be manned by soldiers and maintained by countless servants. Basically, a castle held a small village. Not to mention that the lords of castles often had guests who brought plenty of their own people with them.