All 8 rooms, explained
1. Solar
The solar was the lord and lady's private room. They went there to rest, talk and get away from the noisy hall.
Fun fact Its name comes from an old word for an 'upper room', because the solar was usually upstairs, above the noisy hall.
2. Chapel
The chapel was a small church inside the castle where people went to pray.
Fun fact The castle priest often wrote letters for the lord, because very few people knew how to read and write.
3. Great hall
The great hall was the biggest room. Everyone ate here together, and the lord sat at a special table on a raised floor.
Fun fact Instead of plates, people often ate from thick slices of old bread called trenchers.
4. Armory
The armory is where swords, shields, helmets and armor were kept and fixed.
Fun fact A full suit of metal armor weighed about 20 to 25 kilograms (45 to 55 pounds).
5. Kitchen
The kitchen had huge fires for cooking food for everyone in the castle. It was hot, smoky and very busy.
Fun fact Meat was roasted on a long metal stick called a spit, which had to be turned by hand for hours.
6. Garderobe
The garderobe was the castle toilet. It was a seat with a hole that dropped down a chute on the outside of the wall.
Fun fact Some people think clothes were hung near the garderobe because the smell kept moths away.
7. Cellar
The cellar was a cool storeroom under the castle, full of grain, salted meat and barrels of drinks.
Fun fact Castles stored lots of food so people could survive for months if enemies surrounded them.
8. Prison
Some castles had a small, dark prison room for keeping prisoners locked up.
Fun fact The word 'dungeon' comes from 'donjon', an old French name for the keep.
