Many people lived in medieval castles and they all had different jobs.
Probably the most important people were the kings and lords; they owned the castle. Some rich people also owned castles. Wealthy lords may own several castles, manor houses, and smaller farms. They wore clothes made out of silks and velvets. Lords spent lots of money on luxury items for personal use; the Earl of Hertford had a silver bowl he used to wash his hair in. They used fine linen sheets laundered and repaired in the castle. A 14th century lord, named Thomas de Berkeley had a permanent staff of over 300 people. Food for 300 people would cost around £5 a day, about $2500.00 a day in our time. The lord had a staff to help run his estates, he also had a staff of clerks that knew how to read, write, and keep accounts. When the lord was away he sent instructions by letter to them on how to run the castle. The lord and lady married when they were young by arranged marriages. Not many medieval children went to school, bright boys could be taught by monks at a near by monastery. In poor families, girls were taught by their mothers to sew and cook and boys were taught the job or craft of their fathers. Richer families could afford a teacher to teach all of their children; boys and girls of noble families learned reading, writing, and often Latin.
"During the Middle Ages cats were persecuted as agents of Satan, but happily this situation was reversed in the 17th century when they achieved new-found respect due to their ability to control plague-bearing rats." (Schneck, p.9)
"During the Middle Ages, cats suffered terrible persecution at the hands of superstitious people who believed that witches could change themselves into cats and back again at will. So many cats were burned alive that the species was almost extinct in Europe in 1400. These witches are depicted accompanied by a cat, a dog, a mouse, and an owl-their "familiars", or demons in the form of animals." (Schneck, p. 32)
However hunting dogs were very lucky; "Hunting was an important part of castle life, and hunting dogs were treated as well or better than many humans. They lived in heated kennels and they had a special bread- brom bread- baked for their meals." (Biesty, p.22)
Kings and lords weren't the only people that lived in castles; here are some other people. A clergyman was a member of the church such as a bishop, a priest, or a monk. The constable was in charge of running the castle. He lived with his servants on the first floor where he greeted visitors and sorted out business. The steward was in charge of the castle household. Reeves and bailiffs organized the lord's farms and collected rents. The marshal was in charge of getting rooms ready for visitors. He had grooms, pages, and serving maids to help him. The butler and pantler were responsible for buying and storing food and drink for the castle household. The cooks worked in a hot steamy kitchen; medieval people liked strong spicy food, they liked two hot meals a day. In royal castles there sometimes was a food taster. He sampled food before the royal family ate it to make sure it was not poisoned; this was a very well paid job. People that did not live in the castle did not live in such elegance. Their clothes were made of course wool or linen spun and woven by hand.
"Long before modern science began, alchemists experimented in primitive laboratories. They tried to turn worthless medals into gold and to find an "elixir of life"- a medicine that cured all ills. Some of the alchemist's work was magic; some fraud; and some a genuine search for scientific knowledge." (Biesty, p. 23)
Blacksmiths looked after armor, shod horses, made horseshoes, made nails, made wagon fittings, and repaired tools. Grooms looked after nobles' horses and war horses, which were heavier and were ridden into battle. Sweepers were employed to keep courtyards clean. Carpenters were responsible for repairing and making furniture and other wooden goods. Jugglers, acrobats, jesters, and minstrels came to the castle to entertain.