How did medieval castle toilets work?

The toilets of a castle were usually built into the walls so that they projected out on corbels and any waste fell below and into the castle moat. The protruding shaft of masonry that made up the toilet was buttressed from below or might nestle in the junction between a tower and wall.

What was a medieval toilet called in a castle?

Garderobe
Garderobe is a historic term for a room in a medieval castle. The Oxford English Dictionary gives as its first meaning a store-room for valuables, but also acknowledges “by extension, a private room, a bed-chamber; also a privy”. Its most common use now is as a term for a castle toilet.

How were castles built constructed in the medieval period?

Initially, castles were built out of wood, but eventually, people made castles from stone because they were stronger and lasted longer. Castles usually consisted of a group of buildings that were surrounded by a huge wall and a moat designed to keep attackers out.

How did plumbing work in castles?

The plumbing system of Medieval castles was designed so that waste products would flow straight into the moat that surrounded the castle. These “Garderobes” extended outside of the walls of the castle and had a opening at the bottom that would empty into the moat.

What does a medieval castle need?

Moat – a perimeter ditch with or without water. Barbican – a fortification to protect a gate. Curtain Walls & Towers – the perimeter defensive wall. Fortified Gatehouse – the main castle entrance.

Where did people in castles poop?

THE GONG-FARMER In castles, loos (also called gongs) were often made to overhang an outside wall, and the poo fell either into the moat (if there was one), into a pit outside the wall or just onto the ground.

How did medieval knights go to the bathroom?

It usually happens before the event rather than during though. But even so for medieval knights in a battle, there is no flap, there is no fly, they just let fly. Medieval Knights while in battle or just in armor would go to the restroom on them self.

Did people throw poop out window?

Unfortunately, like many popular ideas about the Middle Ages, it’s largely nonsense. People in the Middle Ages were no less sensitive to foul odors or disgusted by human waste than we are. So medieval towns and cities actually had a lot of ordinances and laws to do with waste disposal, latrines, and toilets.

How are castles designed?

Workers use horse-drawn wagons to haul the stones from the quarry to the building site. Stone masons then chisel the raw stone into blocks. Workers use man-powered cranes to lift the finished stones to the scaffolding on the castle wall. Other workers make mortar on the site from lime, soil and water.

How were castles built in water?

Moats filled with water were usually supplied by a nearby source of water, such as a spring, lake, or river. Dams could be built that would control the level of water in the moat. While some fancy moats may have had stone sides, most moats had simple banks of earth left over from when they were dug.

What is the toilet called in a medieval castle?

Medieval Castles – Toilets, Latrines Sanitation was very primitive in medieval castles. Early latrines or “garderobes” would be sited close to the main bedchamber. Typically they would be built in to the outer wall with a long drop below to the moat or river.

Did medieval castles have latrines?

Medieval Castles – Toilets, Latrines. Sanitation was very primitive in medieval castles. Early latrines or “garderobes” would be sited close to the main bedchamber. Typically they would be built in to the outer wall with a long drop below to the moat or river. Alternatively a long shaft into the ground would suffice.

Where do you store your clothes in a medieval castle?

Typically they would be built in to the outer wall with a long drop below to the moat or river. Alternatively a long shaft into the ground would suffice. An interesting side point here is that the servants would often store clothing in or near the toilet as the smell would discourage moths.

Who used public toilets in the Roman Empire?

The use of public toilets was commonplace among all but the wealthiest classes in the Roman Empire (contemporaneous example from ancient Carthage pictured above). Portable chamber pots were also in use at communal gatherings such as dinners.