An Introduction to the Fief and Castle

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A castle in the middle ages was essentially a fort, albeit a very big one. It served as a weapon of both offense and defense. If a king wanted to gain control of certain lands, he could order a castle built there. Additionally, if lands that a king already had under his control were invaded or were threatened with invasion, then a king would also order a castle built there. Castles generally took an incredibly long time to build. Occasionally, they could take centuries to build. However, sometimes, if the need for a castle was great enough, they could be built in the relatively small amount of time of ten years! Castles were built with defense in mind. They were often built on a hill so that enemies attempting to attack would have to travel up often steep inclines. This slowed an attack down and made it easier to defend the castle. Castles were also usually surrounded by a large ditch sometimes filled with water. This was called a moat. It was often filled with sharp objects like glass or metal. Anyone who fell in could be killed. Because a castle was designed for military purposes, it was often not very cozy inside. Castles were cold, drafty, and had few decorations or comfortable furniture. Warmth was provided by fires lit in fireplaces, and tapestries were hung on walls- more for keeping out cold than for beauty. Castles had few glass windows, so it was dark inside.

The map below is a small section of a fief. From the castle, the lord ruled his lands. The castle can be seen located on a peninsula. A moat was dug at the beginning of the peninsula. The castle is essentially isolated from the world. Any intruder would have to cross a drawbridge to enter the castle gates. On the mainland is a town. The castle wall was extended around the town to provided security to the town. This provided another barrier to any attack on the castle. The extra land inside the town walls and most land outside was used for the grazing of cattle and the growing of food. Eventually, the town grew so large that houses sprang up even outside the town walls.

1. Fields Used to Grow Crops. Some were located inside the town walls, while other were located outside. As the town grew, more and more fields were sown outside of town. Farmland recently created from land that was formerly fallow was called assart land.



2. Roads Leading Away From Town. Roads were used to connect different fiefs and villages within a fief. Most were made of just plain dirt and mud, worn by travel.



3. A Village House. The houses in the village outside a castle were built as close together as possible. This was to maximize the amount of space within the town walls. The land remaining could be used to grow crops.



4. The Town Well. Every villager got water from the town well each day. It was one of the daily chores and was usually the only source of water for most.



5. The Village Church.



6. The Town Gate and Wall.



7. The Drawbridge of the Castle. It spans the moat and could be raised to prevent entry.



8. The Castle Gates and Walls.



9. The Wall of the Outer Ward. (Outer Curtain Wall) This was the first line of defense of an attack against the castle. Behind these walls were the outer ward. Small buildings such as servants' quarters and small shops were located in the outer ward. They served to make the area behind this wall a busy place.



10. The Wall of the Inner Ward. (Inner Curtain Wall) These were the last line of defense built to protect the castle. They were virtually impenetrable.



11. The Towers of the Inner Ward Wall.



12. The Great Hall.



13. The Kitchen.



14. The Cooks' Quarters. This building was next to the kitchen. Like most of the smaller buildings of the inner ward, it was made mostly of wood. It was built in the wattle and daub fashion. The one stone wall was part of the inner ward wall. It housed the many cooks' quarters. Many other servants also lived in this small building such as servers and tasters.



15. The Barracks or Garrison. The soldiers that protected the castle lived here. Weapons were also stored in a special storage room here. This building was also made of mostly wood with some stone.



16. The Blacksmith's Shop. The blacksmith worked and probably lived here. His shop was located close to the barracks so that he could repair the soldiers' weapons. His shop was constructed of wood and stone also.



17. The Kennel and Mew. The kennel housed the lord's dogs, used for hunting. They were also kept on the castle grounds to provide a means of rodent control. Rats and mice were a never ending problem at a castle. The mew was essentially an aviary. The lord's hunting hawks were kept here. This building was made of mostly wood with some stone.



18. Additional Living Quarters. This building housed guests of the lord. More respectable servants also lived here.



19. The Inner Ward Courtyard. This was a large open space in between all of the buildings in the inner ward. It provided a place for the soldiers to practice drilling. Also, fief events like festivals were held there.

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