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For those who are really interested in how to build a mediaval castle, there is one building at the moment in the french countryside called Guedelon. It is mode

For those who are really interested in how to build a mediaval castle, there is one building at the moment in the french countryside called Guedelon. It is modeled from french castle of century XIII. Using tools from middle age. the goal is to validate, correct or invalidate archeoligist theories aboyt medieval building techniques. By the way you can go there, participate and learn a ton. Myself i really enjoyed the experience.

timthorn 10y ago
The BBC made a series showing the techniques in use there: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00PYMP7WA https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00PYMP7WA
- pbhjpbhj 10y ago
  The BBC are supposed to have an online shop now for past shows that aren't on iPlayer .. but that show isn't available, which I find amusing-annoying considering you can get it on Amazon. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xshqd http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xshqd has some clips.
  - Jaruzel 10y ago
    I've just found it on the BBC download shop thingy: https://store.bbc.com/secrets-of-the-castle-with-ruth-peter-and-tom https://store.bbc.com/secrets-of-the-castle-with-ruth-peter-... Cheaper by half compared to buying the DVD.
    - pbhjpbhj 10y ago
      Cool. That price differentiation is really grating. I understand they can charge more for HD (38%), but when it's a supposed non-profit enterprise ...
      - NTripleOne 10y ago
        > but when it's a supposed non-profit enterprise ... ...that's already paid for by the British public...
        meigwilym 10y ago
        Sales like these are a huge revenue generator for the BBC, and help keep the licence fee down. As you say, it's already paid for by the British public, I see no reason to give it away overseas.
        NTripleOne 10y ago
        But it's not just about overseas. I as a British citizen who has paid his (last) TV license have quite literally already paid for this content - yet to watch it outside of the iplayer window, I still need to buy it.
  - SmellyGeekBoy 10y ago
    I just found it on a torrent site. As a British citizen and license fee payer I don't have any moral issue with torrenting it. Interesting to think about, actually.
    - NTripleOne 10y ago
      Another poster pointed out that Yesterday are going to be rerunning it, meaning it could end up on UKTV play.
  - mhw 10y ago
    If you're in the UK, Yesterday are about to start a re-run of the series. See http://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-castle/ http://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-castle/ and http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/c727b6/secrets-of-the-castle-with-ruth-peter-and-tom--02022017 http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/c727b6/secrets-of-t...
    - NTripleOne 10y ago
      Hmm, would that mean it will end up on UKTV play?
      - mhw 10y ago
        Yes, I imagine it would. Just need to wait until Thursday evening to find out for sure.
- Jaruzel 10y ago
  Non mobile link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Castle-DVD-Stuart-Elliott/dp/B00PYMP7WA/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Castle-DVD-Stuart-Elliott/d...
- meigwilym 10y ago
  Another good programme was Fred Dibnah's. It's available in three parts on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZkhyX98is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZkhyX98is
exDM69 10y ago
I really want to ko there to learn some masonry, woodworking and/or carpentry. Can you share something about your experience there? Any options for non-french speaking to participate?
- rihegher 10y ago
  I have been there 6 years ago for one week as an individual volunteer. Officially the maximum time for an individual volunteer is one week but if things goes well you can extend it. There I've been on different workshop that you may not always be able to choose as it depends on demands from others workers. On the first day, I've been building a roof for a future workshop with wood tile, then I have helped some mason building the castles walls for 2 days. The last 3 days I have spent them doing stone-cutting for the castle. Most of people that work there are passionate about their work so it is communicative. What I really enjoyed there is that sometimes I really felt like I was living in the middle age during a few minutes. For non-french speaking people I would say just go there I'm sure you'll find people speaking english that will help you, it should not be a problem. Here is the page about volunteering: http://www.guedelon.fr/fr/comment-participer-aux-travaux_40.html http://www.guedelon.fr/fr/comment-participer-aux-travaux_40.... Just use google translation for it if you cannot read french
mmjaa 10y ago
There's one here in Austria, too .. Pretty neat to see them at work on it. Won't be finished for 30 years or so, as everything is being done as per medieval techniques, by hand - no tools made anywhere but on-site, etc. http://burgbau.at/burgbaufrie/?page_id=428 http://burgbau.at/burgbaufrie/?page_id=428
- sandworm101 10y ago
  Medieval tech, but with modern health and safety. They arent lifting stones above people on homemade rope. Castle construction was horribly dangerous work by modern standards. I do question the assertion about tools only being made on site. That doesnt seem very historical. There was plenty of trade in the past. Things like rope and metal were traded far and wide. Making things on site was ussually the cheaper option where possible but, as the OP states, castles were not purely local efforts.
  - nkrisc 10y ago
    I think you're missing the point about making tools onsite. Surely there aren't many other places from which to get historically accurate tools via trade. If they want it, they probably have to make it themselves.
- wink 10y ago
  Cool, thanks, never heard about this - I guess I'll make a stop there when I am in the area next time.
samstave 10y ago
How much does it cost to participate? If I go as a lowly peasant (backpacker) can I show up with empty pockets/stomach (broke backpacker) and a keen interest (hungry) to contribute (fealty) and live in my hut (tent) and apprentice (learn) for free (intern)?
- rihegher 10y ago
  You cannot just shows up, you have to register first. You have to pay some fees for insurance and the likes, I think it was something like 6 euros a day but it might have changed.
  - samstave 10y ago
    Well that sounds like a shitty feudal system - Here I am offering to be a serf and you expect me to freaking VOLUNTEER? What do you think I am an old woman??? https://youtu.be/rAaWvVFERVA?t=49 https://youtu.be/rAaWvVFERVA?t=49
jdc0589 10y ago
I could watch the films on Guedelon all day long. Unfortunately there is only a moderate amount of media out there right now.
- rihegher 10y ago
  I guess you found those videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbiVEY2l9cw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbiVEY2l9cw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXlAB72YBr0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXlAB72YBr0
  - jdc0589 10y ago
    I've watched two or three hour-ish long ones on youtube or somewhere. Probably time to look again.

timthorn 10y ago

The BBC made a series showing the techniques in use there: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00PYMP7WA https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00PYMP7WA

pbhjpbhj 10y ago
The BBC are supposed to have an online shop now for past shows that aren't on iPlayer .. but that show isn't available, which I find amusing-annoying considering you can get it on Amazon. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xshqd http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xshqd has some clips.
- Jaruzel 10y ago
  I've just found it on the BBC download shop thingy: https://store.bbc.com/secrets-of-the-castle-with-ruth-peter-and-tom https://store.bbc.com/secrets-of-the-castle-with-ruth-peter-... Cheaper by half compared to buying the DVD.
  - pbhjpbhj 10y ago
    Cool. That price differentiation is really grating. I understand they can charge more for HD (38%), but when it's a supposed non-profit enterprise ...
    - NTripleOne 10y ago
      > but when it's a supposed non-profit enterprise ... ...that's already paid for by the British public...
      - meigwilym 10y ago
        Sales like these are a huge revenue generator for the BBC, and help keep the licence fee down. As you say, it's already paid for by the British public, I see no reason to give it away overseas.
        NTripleOne 10y ago
        But it's not just about overseas. I as a British citizen who has paid his (last) TV license have quite literally already paid for this content - yet to watch it outside of the iplayer window, I still need to buy it.
- SmellyGeekBoy 10y ago
  I just found it on a torrent site. As a British citizen and license fee payer I don't have any moral issue with torrenting it. Interesting to think about, actually.
  - NTripleOne 10y ago
    Another poster pointed out that Yesterday are going to be rerunning it, meaning it could end up on UKTV play.
- mhw 10y ago
  If you're in the UK, Yesterday are about to start a re-run of the series. See http://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-castle/ http://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-castle/ and http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/c727b6/secrets-of-the-castle-with-ruth-peter-and-tom--02022017 http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/c727b6/secrets-of-t...
  - NTripleOne 10y ago
    Hmm, would that mean it will end up on UKTV play?
    - mhw 10y ago
      Yes, I imagine it would. Just need to wait until Thursday evening to find out for sure.
Jaruzel 10y ago
Non mobile link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Castle-DVD-Stuart-Elliott/dp/B00PYMP7WA/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Castle-DVD-Stuart-Elliott/d...
meigwilym 10y ago
Another good programme was Fred Dibnah's. It's available in three parts on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZkhyX98is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZkhyX98is

exDM69 10y ago

I really want to ko there to learn some masonry, woodworking and/or carpentry. Can you share something about your experience there? Any options for non-french speaking to participate?

rihegher 10y ago
I have been there 6 years ago for one week as an individual volunteer. Officially the maximum time for an individual volunteer is one week but if things goes well you can extend it. There I've been on different workshop that you may not always be able to choose as it depends on demands from others workers. On the first day, I've been building a roof for a future workshop with wood tile, then I have helped some mason building the castles walls for 2 days. The last 3 days I have spent them doing stone-cutting for the castle. Most of people that work there are passionate about their work so it is communicative. What I really enjoyed there is that sometimes I really felt like I was living in the middle age during a few minutes. For non-french speaking people I would say just go there I'm sure you'll find people speaking english that will help you, it should not be a problem. Here is the page about volunteering: http://www.guedelon.fr/fr/comment-participer-aux-travaux_40.html http://www.guedelon.fr/fr/comment-participer-aux-travaux_40.... Just use google translation for it if you cannot read french

mmjaa 10y ago

There's one here in Austria, too .. Pretty neat to see them at work on it. Won't be finished for 30 years or so, as everything is being done as per medieval techniques, by hand - no tools made anywhere but on-site, etc. http://burgbau.at/burgbaufrie/?page_id=428 http://burgbau.at/burgbaufrie/?page_id=428

sandworm101 10y ago
Medieval tech, but with modern health and safety. They arent lifting stones above people on homemade rope. Castle construction was horribly dangerous work by modern standards. I do question the assertion about tools only being made on site. That doesnt seem very historical. There was plenty of trade in the past. Things like rope and metal were traded far and wide. Making things on site was ussually the cheaper option where possible but, as the OP states, castles were not purely local efforts.
- nkrisc 10y ago
  I think you're missing the point about making tools onsite. Surely there aren't many other places from which to get historically accurate tools via trade. If they want it, they probably have to make it themselves.
wink 10y ago
Cool, thanks, never heard about this - I guess I'll make a stop there when I am in the area next time.

samstave 10y ago

How much does it cost to participate? If I go as a lowly peasant (backpacker) can I show up with empty pockets/stomach (broke backpacker) and a keen interest (hungry) to contribute (fealty) and live in my hut (tent) and apprentice (learn) for free (intern)?

rihegher 10y ago
You cannot just shows up, you have to register first. You have to pay some fees for insurance and the likes, I think it was something like 6 euros a day but it might have changed.
- samstave 10y ago
  Well that sounds like a shitty feudal system - Here I am offering to be a serf and you expect me to freaking VOLUNTEER? What do you think I am an old woman??? https://youtu.be/rAaWvVFERVA?t=49 https://youtu.be/rAaWvVFERVA?t=49

jdc0589 10y ago

I could watch the films on Guedelon all day long. Unfortunately there is only a moderate amount of media out there right now.

rihegher 10y ago
I guess you found those videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbiVEY2l9cw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbiVEY2l9cw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXlAB72YBr0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXlAB72YBr0
- jdc0589 10y ago
  I've watched two or three hour-ish long ones on youtube or somewhere. Probably time to look again.