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Author Topic:   Activities
Carlyiscool
Member
posted 11-11-99 02:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Carlyiscool     Edit/Delete Message
What were some activities that went on inside castles?

Philip Davis
unregistered
posted 11-11-99 04:32 PM           Edit/Delete Message
Good Question. The thing about castles is that the did lots of things.
Firstly all castles were homes. People lived in them. The were born and died in castles, they slept, eat, talked, played and did most of the usual things people do (except watch television - this they did in a special television hut
Second castles were military bases. So people did training with weapons and they kept their weapons in good condition so they were ready if they were needed (just like soldiers do in army camps today) In some castles the weapons would also have been made and repaired. And, of course, sometimes people fought in and around castles.
Thirdly the castle was often a center of local government so records were kept there, taxes were collected there, trials were held in the castle and prisoners awaiting trial were kept in the castle.
Some castles also had farm buildings and small workshops in them, so people would be doing work in the castle. There would also be a stable where someone would look after the horses (Much like a garage and motor repair shop) In the medieval period few children went to school and most rich boys went to live with a lord in his castle to learn to become a knight and lord.
Finally most castles had a chapel were people said prayers and quite often these chapels had a priest. So another activity was religious worship.
As you can see castles could be pretty busy. However a might lord or a king would have many castles and would move around from one to another taking nearly everyone and everything with him, so, quite often, castles were empty and very little other than cleaning out the garderobes went on.

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Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them, Psychiatrists charge the rent, art therapists do the interior design and nurses clean out the garderobes!
To find out about me see www.castlesontheweb.com/members/philipdavis/index.html

Nicolas The First
Member
posted 01-07-2000 02:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Nicolas The First   Click Here to Email Nicolas The First     Edit/Delete Message
Sorry Philip, but not all the castles where military bases. A great majority of these castles where defensable residences where nobles lived. The forts and forteress where military oriented buildings, but the term castle means fortified residence. It is true that most of the castles had there own soldiers, but the main activities in a castle where agricultural and political oriented. The main purpose of these defensable houses was more to protect the lands around it and the noblemen and his familly against another noble or against thieves.

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'Montagnes que voilait le brouillard de l'automne,
Vallons que ta****ait le givre dumatin,
Saules dont l'émondeur effeuillait la couronne,
Vieilles tour que le soir dorait dans le lointain...'
-Lamartine
Nicolas The First -Non nove, sed nove-
http://members.xoom.com/canadacastle/

[This message has been edited by Nicolas The First (edited 01-07-2000).]

Nicolas The First
Member
posted 01-07-2000 02:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Nicolas The First   Click Here to Email Nicolas The First     Edit/Delete Message
Now thats funny, they censored my signature because that in the french verb t-a-p-i-s-s-e-r the four middle letters are p-i-s-s!!! The word t-a-p-i-s-s-e-r means to "cover with"! Isn't it ridiculous!!! Could the moderator do something????????

wurdsmiff
unregistered
posted 01-07-2000 03:14 PM           Edit/Delete Message
Good point Nicolas, but you have to remember that in a feudal system, even the smallest landholder owed military service to his superior, so no matter how small the castle, an element of military training went on involving the servants and labouers. It made sense, since defence of a castle involved a degree of military skill, they just didn't hide inside. They defended actively because their livelihood and lives depended upon it. Skills with weaponry were essential to their survival. Certainly the term military base gives the impression that large numbers of men may be involved, hence your response, but it is essentially true none the less. Even the smallest tower houses and bastle houses offered the whole community refuge when attacked, and all those dependant upon it were expected to assist in the defense.
Remember also that every male of appropriate age would have been expected to serve his superior in the national cause when called upon.

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'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm

Gordon.

wurdsmiff
unregistered
posted 01-07-2000 03:18 PM           Edit/Delete Message
Unfortunately I believe that certain words (or groups of letters) are automatically censored by the server, and this is not a manual process. Philip, I believe has had a similar problem with an old saxon term?

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'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm

Gordon.

[This message has been edited by wurdsmiff (edited 01-07-2000).]

Philip Davis
unregistered
posted 01-07-2000 04:46 PM           Edit/Delete Message
Thanks Wurdsmiff for your defense of my posting. I agree that my use of military base was a bit open to misinterpretation but this needed to be read in the context of my whole response. I rather object to be told that castles are a defensible residence when I have clearly stated this in my initial posting. Ditto to being told their function was political when I had given details of some the administrative activities. I'm not suggesting my postings are perfect or unchallengable. I am saying I would like them to be challenged as they are posted.

If Nicholas was just adding his ideas as to the function of castles then I am please he has done so. I have no objection to that but I would suggest he make much more effort to separate his objection to my posting and his own comments if he does not wish to offend me.

By the way the old saxon term is in current usage. I don't like this automatic censoring at all, not just because it does the sort of silly thing it has done to Nicholas signature, but mainly because it takes the responsibility from a poster to be courteous (which is not about the type of language you use, but about your regard for others). Also it is so easily worked around as to be pointless, but I suppose it satisfies the unimaginative netnannies.

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Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them, Psychiatrists charge the rent, art therapists do the interior design and nurses clean out the garderobes!
http://www.castlesontheweb.com/members/philipdavis/index.html

wurdsmiff
unregistered
posted 01-09-2000 09:54 AM           Edit/Delete Message
Nicloas, being non-fluent in French, may I enquire as to the meaning of the remainder of your signature?

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'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm

Gordon.

All times are PT (US)

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