What Is A Solar Room In A Castle

This is a plan of york castle which shows many of the key elements.

What is a solar room in a castle.

These private chambers were used as a bedroom at night and a private family sitting room by day unless important guests were present. The word solar has two possible origins. Originally the word solar or soller was used to describe any room above the ground level of a building. It may derive from the latin word solaris meaning sun often a room with.

The solar was later extended to include a wardrobe. The floor might be tiled rather than wooden. Solar in architecture private room located on the floor above the great hall in a late medieval english manor house. 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.

The solar suite of rooms was extended to include a wardrobe. Jon snow is accused of treachery by ser alliser thorne in the solar in king s tower of castle black. Elaborate windows might be glazed. The solar was a room in many english and french medieval manor houses great houses and castles.

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. Later castles were built with private chambers on the upper levels for the lord s family. There might be tapestries on the walls. A feast for crows.

Petyr baelish meets with nestor royce and the lords declarant in the eyrie s solar. It refers to a well lighted parlour or chamber facing south no matter the floor level. The room would be furnished luxuriously in accordance with the lord s status and wealth. A medieval castle layout of the old castle in york england.

The room in the castle called the solar was intended for sleeping and private quarters and used by the lord s family. It became a private sitting room favoured by the family. Within castles they are often called the lords and ladies chamber or the great chamber. 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.

And a keep or donjon at their heart. Later stannis baratheon demonstrates the fiery glow of lightbringer to samwell tarly and maester aemon in that solar radiance filling the room.