Discover Top Posts Tagged with #mediaeval castle

There is nothing more autistic than happy fapping arms stimming because you found a documentary series from like 10 years ago...

about building a mediaeval castle historically accurately, that you never got to finish because your baby sitter made you go to bed before the final episode finished

#autism #nerd #mediaeval castle #documentary

Fantasy Guide to Employment: Within and Without the Castle Walls

No I am not repeating myself. Let us move beyond the keep of the castle and to the outer region of the castle.

Blacksmith

The blacksmith was the heart of the castle or the town. Blacksmiths were the most important of the trades which is why there are so many people with the surname Smith. The blacksmith worked at the forge and would have had a team of people working for him. The blacksmith would be paid a high sum by the castle's lord especially if he was skilled at making weapons or armour. A specialist armourer would have been extremely expensive to employ. The blacksmith could be employed within the castle walls or outside them. He would likely be provided with a house near the forge or sleep in a chamber off from it with his apprentices.

Porter

The porters were the gatekeepers of a Castle. You would not be able to go through the gates and the main entrances to a castle. The porter was responsible for making sure nobody came or went from the castle without proof of leave. The porter would be fed and housed with the castle barracks.

Groom

The groom or the stableboy/hand is employed at the stables to care for the horses. They would muck out the stalls, care for the horses, feed the horses, brush the horses, keep the tack clean and ready the horses when needed. The grooms would have to have some knowledge of the horses and likely a strong sense of smell. Grooms often slept in the stables or would have lived in the town as a tenant.

Bailiff

The bailiff was hired by the lord to act as his representative. The bailiff would act as an overseer, making sure the lands were in order. He would also be collect fines and rents from the tenants. The bailiff was nearly always somebody brought from another town or place from the kingdom so he could be impartial and fair. The bailiff would have been provided a small cottage near the castle if he had a family or a small chamber within the castle walls.

Watchmen

The watchman or guard was responsible for security in the castle. They were tasked to patrol the battlements and corridors of the castle, including guarding the most important places of the castle such as the treasury room. The watchman would be kitted out on the Lord's coin, trained as part of the garrison and wear the livery of the lord. Watchmen would have slept in the barracks, been fed by the castle kitchens and would have had to report to their captain or the Constable for orders.

Gamekeeper

The gamekeeper was hired to keep an eye on the populations of the animals on the Lord's lands and ensure that the wildlife was protected and keep safe from poachers (so the lord and his hunstmen could kill them themselves). They would likely have a cabin in the parkland and have certain privileges such as being able to take game for himself. He would have to have knowledge of animals.