posted 04-06-99 03:40 PM           

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Resubmitted after correcting the spelling. Sorry.

Medieval lords traveled from estate to estate so their furniture was portable. On medieval roads portable meant sturdy. Beds were simple wooden construction, a square frame with rope forming a base onto which a palliasse mattress of wool or feather was laid. Chairs were large, ornate, like thrones, and rare. Most people sat on simple wooden benches or formes. Most tables were boards laid on trestles, again of simple design. Several tables may have been around in the castle hall. A side table (sideboard) for service needs. A table for displaying the lords gold cup and plate (The cupboard, the plate was later enclosed for extra protection). And several chests of solid design for storage, particular for storing the rich cloths which covered beds and tables and is one of the reasons that medieval furniture is generally quite plain, since it was covered). Some of these chests could have been of the dug out type, a solid trunk of oak hollowed out (very secure since there are no panels that can be removed).
General the impression would have been of a few, large pieces of furniture covered in rich coloured cloths. Leeds Castle, in Kent, England, has reconstructed a couple of rooms in this style. A picture of the Queens Bedroom is available at http://www.leeds-castle.co.uk/castle.htm