About this creation
Next on our way through the bailey is the cistern. Cisterns were a way to supply castles with water, often replacing a well. The water was collected from the roofs (I still have to add this) and harvested in a big tank. Sometimes the water passed through different layers of sand and pebbles before it reached the tank itself.
Next to the cistern is a building which combines the quarters for the men-at-arms, a kitchen and a store room/barn for different goods.
Originally the timber framing of the upper storey jutted out over the ground floor, but this was historically incorrect, as this was a common feature of very late or post-medieval times. Although I have to admit that the old building looked nicer, the present solution is more than acceptable, as it is historically verified.
I have also added a pulley stretching out from the lower part of the roof. Furnishings of castles were sparse and big. Inside the building was hardly enough space to carry a big wooden box from one floor to the next. With a pulley that was no problem anymore. You can see similar structures at Linn castle near Krefeld.
Inside the house is a kitchen for the men-at-arms or peasants. I have added a few details, but I did not put too much effort into it, as you can only see a few things from the outside.
The barn has got a special kind of timber frame. In German it is called Staenderbau (I think the English term is balloon framing), and it was developed in the 13th century. A preserved example can be found at Quedlinburg. Barns were very important, since many lords of a castle were simple farmers. So not the clang of arms dominated the sounds of a castle, these were the noises of goats, cows, geese, horses and cows.
Ulrich von Hutten, a famous knight complained once: „ A castle is surrounded by walls and moats, because of stables for cattle and horses there is not much space. […]everywhere it smells of gunpowder, the dogs and their filth, and that is – I have to admit - a most wonderful odour.”
Originally I had placed a chapel were the stable is standing now, until I found out that chapels as a single building were indeed rather uncommon for castles. Of all the castles I have visited, and I have visited well over 100 castles, there were only a few which have a big chapel. Prominent examples are the Oberburg near Kobern and the Reichsburg Nuremberg. It was more prominent to include a small chapel inside a building. Again I have to admit that the chapel was nice, but impractical and not common enough for my purposes. You can find old pictures at brickshelf.
Comments
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I like it |
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August 10, 2009 |
This is awesome! |
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| Master Builder August 9, 2009 |
nice job |
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