What Is A Solar Room In A Castle

Later castles were built with private chambers on the upper levels for the lord s family.

What is a solar room in a castle.

Within castles they are often called the lords and ladies chamber or the great chamber. However many medieval castles shared similar features defensive barbicans and deep moats with a kitchen and a great hall. Elaborate windows might be glazed. Petyr baelish meets with nestor royce and the lords declarant in the eyrie s solar.

Originally the word solar or soller was used to describe any room above the ground level of a building. Garderobe derives from the french word for wardrobe a lockable place where clothes and other items are stored according to medieval architecture scholar frank bottomley garderobes were properly not a latrine or privy but a small room or large cupboard usually adjoining the chamber bedroom or solar living room and providing safe keeping for valuable clothes and other. Jon snow is accused of treachery by ser alliser thorne in the solar in king s tower of castle black. The floor might be tiled rather than wooden.

I ve had a quick look at my copy of life in a medieval castle and the first mention of a solar is a bit misleading. The solar was a room in many english and french medieval manor houses great houses and castles mostly on an upper storey designed as the family s private living and sleeping quarters. A medieval castle layout of the old castle in york england. The room would be furnished luxuriously in accordance with the lord s status and wealth.

These private chambers were used as a bedroom at night and a private family sitting room by day unless important guests were present. The solar served as a kind of parlour to which the family of the owner of the manor house or castle could retire from the bustling communal living of the hall below. This is a plan of york castle which shows many of the key elements. A feast for crows.

In relation to the castle the solar or great chamber was the lord s private apartment or withdrawing room. The word solar has two possible origins. There might be tapestries on the walls. It refers to a well lighted parlour or chamber facing south no matter the floor level.

It became a private sitting room favoured by the family. Later stannis baratheon demonstrates the fiery glow of lightbringer to samwell tarly and maester aemon in that solar radiance filling the room. Solar in architecture private room located on the floor above the great hall in a late medieval english manor house. The solar suite of rooms was extended to include a wardrobe.

And a keep or donjon at their heart. The room in the castle called the solar was intended for sleeping and private quarters and used by the lord s family.