Britain in the Middle Ages: A History for BeginnersBowman, Florence L.
History
Britain in the Middle Ages: A History for Beginners
Bowman, Florence L.
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Middle Ages
So much work was there for the masons that there were not skilled
craftsmen enough in the land to do all that was needed. As the years
went by and the people gave to the Church of their riches, more new
buildings were made and yet more decoration was used. Organs were built
and stained glass of lovely hues was put in the windows, orange and
blue and red, colours so rich they seemed almost to have caught and
held the sunlight.
A monk, who was also an artist, wrote "Man's eye knoweth not whereon to
gaze; if he look up at the vaults, they are as mantles embroidered with
spring flowers; if he regard the walls, there is a manner of paradise;
if he consider the light streaming through the windows, he marvelleth
at the priceless beauty of the glass and at the variety of this most
precious work."
So full of riches were these buildings that S. Bernard, and other
preachers too, called to the monks to remember their vows of poverty
and to return to humbler dwellings like those they had once built where
they might worship God.
Round the Saxon earthworks, the Normans built strong walls that they
might hold them against foreign foe or angry neighbour. By the rivers
and on high rocks, they made great keeps or towers, first of timber,
later of stone, where they could withdraw if pressed by foes. The stone
walls were often 13 feet thick and round about there was a deep moat.
The doorway was of stout oak barred with iron. Over this, they would
drop the portcullis, a single grate of iron, worked from a chamber
above by cords and chains round a windlass. Across the moat, they flung
a drawbridge, which could be raised at pleasure. There were only a few
rooms in the keep, storerooms below and chambers in the two stories
above, for the Norman lord only sought shelter there in times of siege.
In such a tower, he was safe enough if he had plenty of food and a
well, secure from the enemy.
Sometimes the Normans built strong walls and another moat round about
the keep, and towers where they kept watch by night and day, looking
towards the four quarters of heaven lest an enemy should surprise them.
Much later, when the lord brought his family and soldiers to live in
the castle, they made it still larger. Storerooms and stables were
built round the courtyard and above these were the chambers of the lord
and his followers. Here was a fine larder and a kitchen where the ox
and wild boar were roasted whole and the mead was brewed and brown
bread baked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account