Keep your neighbours out!

We visited Stokesay Castle this afternoon - described as "one of the best-preserved medieval fortified manor houses in England", by historian Henry Summerson. To quote Wikipedia: "Originally designed as a prestigious, secure, comfortable home, the castle has changed very little since the 13th century, and is a rare, surviving example of a near complete set of medieval buildings." And it really does give you a feeling of how incredibly cold life was! There was very little glass in the windows of the great hall, for example, because it was so expensive, and the hearth is in the middle of the floor, with no chimney, so the room would not only have been incredibly draughty but also full of smoke!