ever wondered why medieval peasants didn't just freeze to death during those bone chilling Winters well they were actually pretty clever about it and no they didn't have heated blankets or space heaters hidden away in their Cottages in fact their solutions to staying warm were way more creative than you might think let's talk about their houses first now I used to think medieval peasants just threw together some wooden Shacks and called it a day boy was I wrong these folks were basically the original underground living enthusiasts they dug their houses about 2 to 3 ft into the ground which might not sound like much but it's basically like building your house in a shallow swimming pool except instead of keeping cool they were trying to stay warm and it worked recent archaeological studies showed these partially sunken houses stayed about 10° warmer than surface dwellings during winter months you know how your parents always yell at for leaving the front door open because they're not trying to heat the whole neighborhood medieval peasants took that energy-saving mindset to the extreme their windows were tiny we're talking barely bigger than your head tiny and those low ceilings weren't just because medieval people were shorter though they were it was all about keeping the heat where they wanted it inside medieval peasants used something called waddle and do to insulate their homes now before you get excited waddle isn't some cute medieval animal it's basically a bunch of Twigs woven together like a massive basket and do well it's a delightful mixture of clay straw and wait for it manure yes they literally put poop in their walls the next time your room smells a bit funky just remember at least your walls aren't made of medieval composting material though I have to say these walls were surprisingly effective archaeological experiments have shown they provided insulation comparable to a Moder wall with basic fiberglass insulation the winner of medieval heating was the central Hearth this wasn't just any old fireplace it was the Medieval equivalent of a combination microwave heater and social media hub all rolled into one located right in the middle of the house it did everything from cooking their meals to keeping them warm and it was where all the hot gossip about whose Ox ran away with whose cow was shared recent archaeological digs have uncovered some fascinating stats about these hearths in a typical peasant house from around 1300 the central Hearth could maintain temperatures between 50 to 60° F even when it was freezing outside that might sound chilly to us modern folks who cry when the thermostat drops below 72° F but for medieval peasants it was practically tropical they are geniuses on how they designed their single room homes everything was strategic from the placement of sleeping areas as far from drafts as possible to the angle of the roof steep enough to shed snow but not so steep that the thatch would SL slide off it was like a medieval version of fun except instead of arranging furniture for good luck they were arranging it so they wouldn't wake up as human popsicles archaeological evidence shows they even oriented their houses to face the sun's path maximizing natural heat during winter days and something that would make modern Architects scratch their heads these houses were actually designed to be a bit smoky inside the smoke from The Hearth would rise and help create an insulating layer near the ceiling while also protecting the thatch roof from insects and rot sure it probably wasn't great for their lungs but when you're trying not to freeze to death a little smoke is the least of your worries studies of preserved medieval roofs show that this Smoky environment actually doubled the lifespan of thatched roofs some clever archaeologists recently found evidence that peasants would actually modify their home seasonally in Autumn they'd patch up any holes in the walls with fresh do and add extra layers of thatch to the roof they'd even hangle blank blankets or animal skins on the walls for added insulation medieval tapestries for the common folk if you will and unlike our modern homes where every room has a different temperature these single room houses were surprisingly efficient at maintaining consistent warmth but perhaps the most impressive thing about medieval housing wasn't just the architecture it was how these techniques evolved over centuries of trial and error each generation added their own little improvements like a really slow game of architectural telephone that lasted hundreds of years years archaeological evidence shows that houses from the early medieval period around 800 ad were much simpler but by the 1300s they had developed into these surprisingly sophisticated warmke keeping machines some of their heating Solutions were actually better than what we use today those thick breathable walls of waddle and do were fantastic at regulating humidity and preventing mold something our modern drywall isn't always great at and their steep thatched roofs they were perfect for handling heavy snow loads way better than some Modern flat roof buildings that collapse after a big snowstorm but living in a medieval house wasn't all cozy fires and clever design the smoke from The Hearth would make your eyes water the roof needed constant repairs and there was always the chance that a stray spark could set the whole place Ablaze but hey at least you didn't have to worry about paying the heating bill or programming a smart thermostat speaking of daily life in these houses you wouldn't believe the incredibly precise schedule medieval families followed to make the most of their home's features their daily routine was like a perfectly choreographed dance timed exactly with the sun's movement and the day's temperature changes you'd think medieval peasants just woke up whenever they felt like it and went about their day randomly right wrong their schedule was so precise it makes my attempts at time management look like a toddler trying to organize a birthday party the golden hours were between 10 a a. m. and 2: p.
m. what medieval folks called high Sun this wasn't because they were late risers who enjoyed sleeping in no this 4-Hour window was when temperatures peaked and everyone in the village coordinated their most important work during this time Manor Court records from 1267 show that Villages actually find people who didn't stick to these communal work hours in Winter talk about strict scheduling and you thought your school's tardy policy was harsh one Village in northern England even had a system where repeat offenders had to donate extra firewood to the community stockpile now recent studies of medieval manor records show that Villages developed what historians call Frost watches different families would take turns keeping the communal fires going throughout the night each family had their assigned nights marked in the manor rols right next to their tax obligations miss your turn at frostwatch that'll be one chicken or three dozen eggs as a penalty medieval peasants didn't mess around with their heating duties archaeological evidence suggests some Villages even had special Warning Systems usually a series of horn blasts to alert Frost Watchers when temperatures dropped dangerously low the morning routine started Way Before Sunrise but not with what you'd expect instead of jumping right into work medieval folks had what they called first sleep and second sleep they'd wake up around midnight for an hour or two do some light tasks socialize a bit then go back to bed B until dawn medical records from the 1300s show doctors actually recommended this split sleep pattern for Better Health meanwhile we modern folks feel guilty about taking a 20-minute power nap at our desks historical documents show this midnight wake period was considered so normal that people would often schedule social visits during this time meal times were a whole other level of coordination the entire Village would eat their main meal together around 11:00 a. m.
when the communal bread ovens were at their hottest archaeological evidence from Village sites shows these ovens were massive some could bake up to 100 loaves at once one Baker's log from 1298 recorded that a village of 80 people could heat their homes by about 3° C just from the bread ovens alone talk about killing two birds with one stone or should I say feeding two needs with one heat the timing was so crucial that Villages actually had bread bells that would ring when the ovens reached optimal temperature the afternoon had its own clever timing tricks between 2 p. m.
