How to build your own medieval castle

A friend very kindly sent me the link to a stimulating and informative video about how to build a castle in the thirteenth century. This is achieved by building one from scratch - not a reconstruction or restoration - in the twenty first century in rural France.

It is in woodland at Guédelon which is well to the south of Paris. When the project began twenty five years ago the agreed virtual date was 1229. That is at the beginning of the reign of King Louis IX, who succeeded to the throne in 1226, and in the regency of his formidable mother Queen Blanche.

Twenty five years on it is now 1253 on the video, with another decade or so to go before the castle will be complete. The organisers admit that it is slower than in the middle ages - the speed demanded by King Richard I of the builders at Chateau Gaillard in the later 1190s is famous testimony to what could be achieved where there was the will and the resources.

The building methods methods ( with appropriate attention to modern health and safety requirements ) are an insight into the realities of medieval life and craftsmanship. It is a tribute to the expertise of the teams at Guédelon that the restorers of Notre Dame in Paris have visited to learn necessary skills. 

Medieval building technology is accompanied by those of the decorative arts and of food preparation in the new castle. Local supplies of stone, wood, clay etc are being used - as we know from historic sites was indeed the case. In addition to masons and carpenters there are all the ancillary workers such as wheelwrights, basket weavers, lime burners and rope makers

Al in all this appears to be an impressive and instructive project about a whole series of interconnected aspects of medieval life,

The video can be seen at Friends build real castle from scratch with simple tools only