The Historic Technology Needed To Build A Medieval Castle | Secrets Of The Castle
2018 ж. 18 Там.
1 448 092 Рет қаралды
Ruth, Peter and Tom look at the castle’s place in the wider medieval world. 13th century Europe was a busy, developing, connected place, where work, trade, pilgrimages and Crusades gave people the opportunity to travel across the continent and beyond.
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One of the marks of a good documentary is that you might not be particularly interested in the subject at first, but then you become fascinated. I did not expect to be binge-watching a program about castle construction.
who DIDN'T want to build their own castle?
@@jaewok5G You should check out Tales from the Green Valley, Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm, Wartime Farm, and Tudor Monastery Farm. All made by the BBC, all with the same team of three - they're all just as intriguing.
@@TheBrainfishes thanks for the info :D
I was thinking the exact same thing, do you know if there will be any more up coming episodes?
Same
This is one of my favorite documentaries. Ya know, according to my calculations, (25 yr project, started in '97) the castle will be done in 2022, or pretty darn close. I do hope another documentary crew goes back there to see the finished building!
I bet a lot of groups will film there!
I want to visit when its finished
Eric Seaton These intelligent resourceful people did not give their skills away for free. They worked for money, which they exchanged for goods and/or services which they required. If they didn't have enough money, they could borrow it and the lender would make money from lending money, by charging interest. They WERE capitalists. They WERE consumers.
Technology took us out of the poverty of our ancestors, not capitalism.
Wrong. They were ALL Christians at the time. They believed in the Biblical definition of "usury". Originally, usury meant interest of any kind. Historically, in some Christian societies, and in many Islamic societies even today, charging any interest at all would be considered usury.
Ruth says everything like she's letting you in on the most scandalous secret. This whole series is amazing!
Yesss it cracks me up how she dives 💯 % into whatever she’s doing and explaining!!! She’s so intense in the best way
Truth ! And it's kinda Hot ! Lol
@@thekanefamily6465 I agree, true passion is an aphrodisiac
@@thekanefamily6465 oh no it isn't . . .
1:20 - The pretense that Ruth is doing any real manual labor at all is hilarious.
As a Canadian, it always brings a smile to my face to see French and English working together, learning from the past. Great work to all involved!
As a third generation general contractor, truly appreciated the craftsmanship of this project. Not just a castle…but a work of art. Look forward to a follow up documentary. France is a wonderful and beautiful country…this gives me another reason to keep visiting!
It's adorable how Ruth and Eve have the same speech rhythms, and the same way in how they use their hands and face when they speak.
This documentary has given me a greater respect and a true understanding of the awe that one should feel when looking at a castle. I live in Germany and I've walked along the ruins of the castles and the towering ceilings of cathedrals. I am now eager to return to those places with a renewed excitement for these marvelous structures.
Do you know campus galli near stuttgart...? Germans historians reproduce a plan from the carolagian era of a monastery. Guedelon people visited it for learn how to do windows with leather.
W Jesus said:"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons.." -Matthew 7 How did that "man" know that more than 2 thousand years AFTER HE DIED; ALL THAT WILL HAPPEN, There are so "Many" christian religions today, doing exactly what He prophesied more than 2000 years ago. "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning" -Isaiah 46 kzhead.info/sun/qap6qNturaebqIk/bejne.html
Ruth's daughter is EXACTLY how I imagined a kid of Ruth would turn out. Love it!
I have a deep respect for the craftsmen on our past. Pure skill and no pain killers.
This documentary should be mandatory in every school. Reading about a topic is much different than seeing an authentic representation. Parents should also show their children you think they're being ungrateful.. We take all of our modern amenities for granted.
Some school trips have been to this castle while they're still building (I think they're due to finish sometime in 2025) and teachers have said lots of their students suddenly grasped geometry and it's usefulness when watching the stonemasons and carpenters plan everything on the floor. Practical teaching is so useful to kids and if you make things interesting they learn to be passionate about subjects.
Ruth’s daughter, Eve, looks and sounds exactly like Ruth.
they know what causes that now.
@@jaewok5G is it witchcraft?
@shane … not always, but they often play a part. also small toads that live in the stomach region
Nepotism
They should have used Mary Beard for this series or some other non-irritating historian.
The French craftsmen and women are truly incredible. I especially like Clément and Florian. They are always happy! Just thinking how a door has to be planned a year in advance.
That's nothing; It once took me two years to hang a picture.
This program is amazing. The amount of work that went into every element of life really made progress very slow. And while it seems romantic to us today I confess I’m grateful for modern technology that greatly reduces time and effort!
This is the second time I've watched this series and I've been totally fascinated both times. I hope there's a follow-up series about the final stages and the castle once it's completed. :)
Man I remember several years ago I was watching this castle building series and I fell asleep and had the most wonderful nap I've ever had. Good times lmao.
I wish we as a society would be allowed to restore and rebuild ruined castles. It would give us so much more insight into how our ancesters lived all those centuries ago. It would also revive traditional trades like stone masons, black smithing, carpentry to reproduce goods using traditional techniques. Each site could then be turned into education centres, re enactment centres, traditional craft faires. Boosting local economies and helping us to remember how lucky we are and what we have lost.
Ruth steals this series. What a fun loving person she is. She has an infectious personality and sweeps you away with her zest for life. Thanks Ruth.
My grandfather was a craftsman, specialized in cabinet making. Yet, during his apprenticeship period, his master also taught him a variety of related skills such as metal working (for example how to make the metal rim for a cart wheel, how to make nails, bolts and rivets etc...). It seems to me that, in several respects, this middle ages approach to work, in which an individual was expected to possess expertise in many areas and to be to some extent, self-sufficient, was still present in Europe long after the industrial revolution. In a way it's like the middle ages really ended only 50-60 years ago.
I still do this. What I learned from my father serves me well.
I guess some of us are middle aged.
Absolutely, I am doing a renovation on my mobile home with a master carpenter. I am just in awe of this gentleman's knowledge of everything else involved. It's quite impressive learning from masters of craft trades.
A shame that it ended at all.
Lots of modern craftsmen learn multipe trades and skills, electrical, sheet metal, carpentry, welding, pipe work etc. Some only do one thing
Riveting! I am inspired to continue my neglected plan to create model cottages to full-scale plans!
I got to say this series of videos was really something. I wish there was more
There are others, different time periods, Tales from the Green Valley, Tudor Monastery Farm, Edwardian Farm, victorian Farm and war Time Farm! Each is great as far as I'm concerned, my favorites tho are Tudor, Victorian and War Time.
56:38 Well said. I am so sad to reach the end of the series. Learned a lot, and inspired to learn more. Cheers and thank you.
Have you seen the other Farm Series?
As a Freemason, this Timeline really cements my work and craft. As a Celtic vendor it shows how history and traditional values come together to bring products and people to market.
Some of the best documentary hosts ever, so fun and engaging.
Watching these guys do their work makes me appreciate how much physical labor and the tactile experience that went into the most mundane tasks of everyday life back then. These days, we are removed from our labor and the results of it by the trigger of a powertool or the push of a switch on a piece of machinery.
Who's stopping you from using medieval hand tools for _your_ work?
@@theuncalledfor Highway Patrol. Apparently they frown on driving a wagon with a team of oxen on the freeway.
All done?? Awww...... Very well done, I've learned so much. Thank you for this.
There is a book too!
the french are amazing ! what an extraordinary idea....it is true that France is the country with the most castles, because of its very warlike and tormented history. the research that the French have done in their national archives to reacquire these manufacturing methods is just incredible. it's a leap into their past, and they keep it intact.
Lord, to see a piece of the window that I shaped meld into the work of others' hands and form a classical thing of beauty, I would have wept like a child.
I'm sorry that his has to end.
Meeee tooooo! 💔
Anyone know if this project is still being worked on?
@@haraldblotand5460 yes, you can see it here kzhead.info/tools/y9Kti8oDm_wmbU7-yLRfog.html their official channel
I was only watching these people for five hours total, but I don't want to leave them. It's so sad.
There're more historical documentaries like this with Ruth and Peter and others, where they actually live in the time period. They're all equally as good as this!
In principle, having a bonding agent that doesn't go off at the core serves two major purposes or helps along with them. 1. motion is dampened, earthquakes but also the setting of the structure as more weight is added (moving or static) 2. if portions of the outer bonding material are chipped, the inner one is ready to go off. Now, if that was the intention of the creators...who knows, we know their structures survive today and i for one know that brick and mortar structures where the mortar has perished with time are falling to bits.
aserta it may have been a case of what sticks, they didn’t plan it they may not of understood it but it worked better so they kept doing it.
We have a tendency to think about the castles as having been built as huge, timeless centers of the landscape but actually most of them weren't. The ones that didn't survive just aren't there for us to look at so they don't inform our opinions. I'm sure very few of our buildings will still be standing in 700 years but the ones that are will be marveled at for their seeming timelessness.
i wonder what archeologists in 1000 years may think when they find a plastic hardhat somewhere under the ruins..
You just explained Ancient Aliens
It is interesting thinking about what reactions will be to our society.
This assumption that the knowledge will be lost is unfounded.
@@theuncalledfor is it really? I mean we lost some of the rediscoveries made during the renaissance of techniques used by the Romans. whats to say that we will not lose the knowledge of this rediscovery in 500 years time. Yes, we have better means of recording but we also have more elaborate systems that can be undone by one thing or another. Already there are computer files that people are struggling to open because the software for those files no longer works on modern hardware. Whilst I still think the complete loss of knowledge is unlikely, it is still quite possible.
Lol
Started with the history lesson, stayed for the workers 😊
all of them young, cute and (seemingly) stupider than you to be easily manipulated, huh!
@@blabla-rg7ky Not sure what you even mean by that but okay..
Thank you all who contributed to this remarkable project. Your service is both appreciated and valued.
What a totally awesome show. Thx for bringing it to KZhead. Can't wait for the next season.
seems the 'farm team' has been strapped for ideas. The 'season' after this was a 3 or 4 episode series about steam engines during the late 17th to 18th. I can't see them doing another. They did Tales of Green Valley (pre-roman), Tudor, Victorian, Wartime, Guedeleon, and the Victorian side-bar series about Steam Locomotives. There's really not much left for them to do. If I remember right, Alex mentioned wanting to pitch an 'American settler' series to BBC, but I don't suppose anything came of it. it's been a few years.
There's roman Britain, iron age Britain. Houses or villages instead of farms. Lots more in my opinion
@@maxdecphoenix Tales of green valley? Hmmmm i've not seen that yet
@@Atomy111 Tales of Green Valley was the proto-show that the 'n Farm' series became. They basically took everything and everyone they liked about it, cut out everything else, and that became the farm series (and cast).
Ruth is so animated with her expressions, it's great.
What an amazing project and video documentary. I binge watched these all today, and now I want more.
Absolutely, absolutely fascinating!!!!! For me, the most enjoyable pieces of documentary - the Victorian Farm, the Tudor Monastery and this awe inspiring Secrets of the Castle series - now I must search for others I may have yet to find! Many thanks from across the pond!
Yes just do ma search for Ruth on you tube, there are several she and the boys participated in. Really great shows.
Tales from Green Glen, Victorian Farm, Wartime Farm, Victorian Pharmacy, Edwardian Farm. Now this one. And I still want MORE from these people. Where do I go now?! Oh, well. Time to start again. 🙆♀️ LL
@@Laura-Lee Not nit picking, but it's Green Valley! Also, Tudor Monastery farm, I think War time, Tudor and Victorian are my favorite.
Woad contains the same dye chemical as indigo, but indigo grows in warmer climates. The ancient inhabitants of Britain are said to have painted themselves blue with woad.
Gary Cooper - Absolutely! Great connection that makes me consider “Braveheart” style battles. I wonder what sort of symbolism might exist with colour...
Ruth could make shopping at Tesco intriguing.
man. i really want this series to continue. i binged watched it twice.
I've taken apart a few 19 th century arches, and it was difficult to remove all the brickwork overburden, but easy to excise the stone (softer mortar - thinner joints), I found the little wooden spacers used in construction positioning. very enlightening! Yes, there were makers' marks, but very few matching. That was 30 years ago, and they're all on pallets waiting to be displayed in the St. Louis Museum of Building Arts. I'm elated to find this video series.
We are just finishing off conservation work on the Conwy castle in Wales, amazing experience
Makes you rethink the story about Hansel and Gretel and the Gingerbread house. If Ginger was more valuable then gold it would explain why the witch mad enough to put them in the oven.
By the time of Brothers Grimm, the spices for gingerbread were not that expensive. Hansel and Gretel are much much closer to our present time, a measly 150 years, than medieval times of 1230 when they placed the timeline for the castle. By 1850, world was already so much smaller, almost anyone could afford spices from the far East, due to the sea trading routes. Spices from China would take only 9 months to get to you, and after Suez was built, a measly 3-4 months.
@@Zamolxes77 I was thinking the same thing, what a disruptive force long-distance ocean shipping must have been compared to the ancient practice of transporting goods overland along established trade routes. All these middlemen that used to profit now cut out in favor of a Dutch trading company.
In german it's not called gingerbread but "Pfefferkuchen" wich literally means "Peppercake" but I don't think that there was a big price difference between pepper and ginger. Both came from far away. Thinking that they even spiced their wine back then, just to show of does mean this stuff was luxury at its finest XD
@@Zamolxes77 The fairy tale is older than the brothers Grimm. They recorded the tales, they didn't write them. There's no telling how old a fairy tale might be. Making it more confusing, elements may have been added and removed during the centuries. Possibly, the gingerbread element was recently added at that time, but it may also have been there for centuries before the tale was written down. Sometimes it can be worked out by cross referencing with similar fairytales from other regions.
@@Trollvolk "Pfefferkuchen" is the exact same thing as "gingerbread", and doesn't contain any pepper. 'Pepper' was used as a synonym for 'spice'.
I went to both Vezelay and Guedelon this summer. It's great to see the connection between them in this documentary. Both are great places to visit.
Can you visit here?
@@wikedwhich1 www.guedelon.fr/
It's also really interesting how useful archaeological research seems to be to modern-day artisans. Seems that rediscovering all these "lost methods", by actually reenacting them, is of real value to modern artisans, like the Florian the mason.
The subject matter is Fascinating .....the people and show...MAGIC
Wow ...............WOW, what an epic documentary series. Thank you so much for sharing. Congratulations to all involved in this amazing project. I hope they will continue filming as the castle is finished. Brilliant.
here you go -- www.guedelon.fr/
nooooooooooo! it cant be over!! I really enjoyed this series. I am in construction (cabinet maker/cabinet fitter) and no one has any respect for the "craft" anymore. people want things done "fast and cheap" even in the high end custom homes I work in, they still don't want to allow the appropriate amount of time to just really do something right. It is my biggest daily frustration. People have lost touch with what it means to be a craftsman and have no idea what they are missing because of there deadlines and extreme budgets. Being in construction in the western USA is a joke. I feel like I can relate fully to these stone masons and really just envy the fact that they have free reign to do the work in the time that it actually takes to do the work.
For anyone new to this castle building show on absolute history there are soo many more fabulous episode’s.
Ruth is so skilful, dexterous and practical. Many attempts to find out how people used to do things in the past are just pathetic, but I'm sure she's got it right.
Read so much about this era. Now really understand the process. Real industry. Thank you..
One of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen.
Absolutely fantastic Documentary. I have such a greater respect for ancient ruins after watching this show. I truelly hope that when the 25 year build is done we can get a recap of the site.
The biggest archaeological building site experiment would be to recreate monolithic structures with bronze chisels tho. :D Enjoyed watching this :)
The chemical reaction to die fabric.... binge watching the show... I love this!
This documentary was the best I've ever seen. Just when I thought I already knew a lot about medieval history, I once again realised how much I still have to learn. Love the passion that went into making this documentary never mind into building this magnificent castle! I really hope to visit one day!
Your last name is Dutch. Are your ancestors from the Netherlands or from Flanders?
What a fantastic journey this was! Through all the labour and insight, the crew is what really kept me on my seat and watching. Brilliant trio, marvellous project and a new destination for me to visit some time soon.
Bonjour. I did twice. If you could do the travel you would. This castle is in a buble of special time and atmosphere. Enjoye your trip.
Y Jesus said:"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons.." -Matthew 7 How did that "man" know that more than 2 thousand years AFTER HE DIED; ALL THAT WILL HAPPEN, There are so "Many" christian religions today, doing exactly what He prophesied more than 2000 years ago. "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning" -Isaiah 46 kzhead.info/sun/qap6qNturaebqIk/bejne.html
worked for a Stone Mason for 2 yrs, we worked mostly in Granite and nothing that intricate, enjoyed my time, learned a lot
Really happy that I found this channel, and to top it of this series was FANTASTIC.... Hope to one day be able to go to France and visit this castle,, Amazing.
Great series and survival techniques we may need again one day.
This has been so wonderful to watch..... I wish a documentary crew went back every year until complete! Amazing!, Thanks for putting it on KZhead for all to watch.
This has been one of the most interesting series I've watched in a long time.
Thanks for posting this! I have been unable to find episode 5 anywhere. Excellent series.
Oh, to be involved in something like Guédelon... it makes my heart ache, as an 18-year-old Minnesotan. I've been absolutely obsessed with everything medieval since my Grandmother first read stories of knights, dragons, and maidens to me as a small boy, and to be so far away from where great things like Guédelon are happening makes me wish things could've been different. I'd leap at the opportunity to be involved in something like that, but here in Minnesota, there's just not much of anything. But... nothing to be done about it. Instead, I must look forward and continue pursuing what I can here... my blacksmithing apprenticeship, and Armored Combat!
Your Norwegian blooded, the mountains of the north call you home. We have this bird you are called - woodcock - we call it rugde. Fast flyer, and makes for a great hunt.
Ruths daughter is so beautiful and just like her mother!! Love it!!!
I’m a couple of years late I know, but great series guys. After the civil restrictions are lifted you should consider doing an update on the castle
Great series. If only there were more like it
There are others, different time periods, Tales from the Green Valley, Tudor Monastery Farm, Edwardian Farm, victorian Farm and war Time Farm! Each is great as far as I'm concerned, my favorites tho are Tudor, Victorian and War Time.
Wow, what a limited series. That was amazing and my mind is blown.
“How do you build a castle? Well I know now.”- Peter said emotionally. This series was fantastic. I love these three people. They make for a great team and even better teachers. Thank you for sharing another brilliant series. This buy far is my favorite! ❤️, A Dorothy In Kansas, USA
I was raised on a farm that was behind the times 70 years ago. I'm amazed at how much I knew of the different things they were doing. There were times I could write the next sentence in the script. It was mostly The woodworking, smithing, rock splitting, cooking, dyeing, and paint making Etc. We still used whitewash. Our barn was all mortise and tenon pegged together.
What a irony, a mid evil castle under construction with jet contrails in the sky! Wonderful documentary. Bravo!
Such a wonderfully made docuseries. thanks to everyone who made it possible. building and filming this escapade!
Super cool project. I'm SO glad it was filmed. Thanks for the share !
This is one of the best series I've ever seen! I have a new perspective and a new appreciation for building castles and all that pertains to it. Thank you so much!
I have visited castles and cathedrals in several countries, and wondered at the craftsmanship. Having now watched this five-episode documentary, I have a deeper appreciation of craft. Thank you so much for this wonderful rendition.
that's one of best documentary series I have ever seen
This is my fourth time watching this, always interesting each time. What I love most is the passion in the project, it's not simply "let's build a castle", it's the flair and artistic expression as well. The masons adding their artistic designs when doing the chapel windows, alter and archway, the blacksmith talent making and maintaining all the tools and constructing the nails, and the carpentry with the fantastically precise door and gallery, but also the limewashing, the painting, the cookery and the water mill, the fact they're using horses and have horse trainers on sight. It's not just about the castle but what the castle represents as well, the nostalgia about recreating the experience around such an undertaking of building a castle. We humans are at our best when we combine our scientific knowledge with our artistic flair and our desire to explore our past and figure out what brought us to this point, and the fact everyone from multiple nationalities are contributing to this project is amazing.
I watched all episodes in one setting. (I did pause it 3 or 4 times). Focusing on the total infrastructure required was genius on their part.
Will we be seeing Shad of Shadiversity come and take a look? He’s usually the medieval architecture man on KZhead. Worth the airline ticket.
Oh he'll no doubt complain because there are no MACHICOLATIONS.
@@jeffburnham6611 Not yet!
@@jeffburnham6611 I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but he is overrated in my opinion. Pretty sure I have actually visited more castles than him and probably read as many books on them also. Not that many castles I have seen have MACHICOLATIONS, apart from over the gate. He is a nice guy and all, but not a world renowned expert.
He actually said in a video that he will go there, so it's just a question of time I guess. @Dorian Leakey Shad says that Machicolations are great for defense but he never said that EVERY castle had them, and in a lot of examples that he shows catles don't have them. But you can only agree to the fact that it is a great way to defend your walls, at least the ones that are directly treatend by ennemies :)
@@dorianleakey Not every castle had machicolations, thats true. But (probably) every castle under siege at least had hoardings(basically the same as machicolations but inferior) instead. The "perfect castle" has to have machicolations tho.
This would have to be one of the best documentaries on KZhead. A new found respect for the builders of these fine buildings.
them doing manual labor while using modern pencils, boots and eye protection, reminds me of the Baku from Star Trek Insurrection: super advanced civilization, living like it's the middle ages "Oh, we have warp capability.... but why would we want to travel away from *here* ?"
In fairness if they left they got really old and icky looking rather then eternal youthful skin and more "bounce" as it were.
Year of our lord 2021ad - "I have started the construction of my Castle. I am 21 years old and expect that I'll be able to sleep in my castle bed just in time to pass away" - What an experience!
I've not binged watched anything in YEARS, so well done for that! Would love to see a follow up episode or 2.
I am entranced and in awe after finding all these series done by Ruth and Peter as well as the teams they work with on various projects. Absolutely one of the best that I have found binge worthy. Check out the other period episodes. They bring you right into 1940's WW2 Britian. Please don't make Ruth do anymore authentic laundry episodes. That was really cruel. ;)
The respect all of the team show towards the men and women of that long forgotten time is what makes the difference. One can almost see the ghosts of the medieval people looking at them and smiling (rolling eyes sometimes even) how awkward they work but still liking that they are humble and respectful.
This series was absolutely brilliant! Loved it!!
Learned so very much from this series and found it extremely interesting and fun!
Ruth's daughter is such a history nerd. I'm in love. ❤ I love history.
This was a really lovely project. Thank you so much for all your work both to the builders and the documentarians.
Spock and mamma Ruth are killing it! How glorious would it be to fortify Ruth's chapel!
Fantastic series. I hope to see more like it. Thanks so much. ^-^
Right from the start...absolutely fascinating. Not that I did not study this at school, not that I did not bicycle-ride frequently to our local National Trust castle, but where can one go to actually experience building one. How fabulous this is, and it immediately takes me back to my boyhood. How wonderful. Thank You. Witches with a cauldron changing yellow to blue...by magic.
Thanks for posting this amazing series!!
The skills to make this happen is basically nearly impossible to find.I hope it will be finished soon and who will be the next Royalty in France to live there?
That’s so cool, and I feel amazed at what a team effort it took now and then. I build modern houses. I feel humbled. 🤔
if I wasn't looking at them and could see their different faces, I would think Ruth and her daughter were the same person given that they sound identical
I noticed the same, she's even looking and same facial expresions! So fun to see hahah
At one point I thought it was Ruth talking and then realized it was her daughter. They really do super similar!
And just as irritating
@@colinmarble2552 god dude. You are just miserable. I feel bad for you. 😓
I'm pretty sure that I watched this exact documentary on TV not too long ago. I'm still going to watch it again lol good quality interesting documentary not flooded with annoying adds either 10/10 thank you
This was an amazing documentary, found it by accident and couldn't stop watching
One of the best documentary ive seen in along time well worth aveiw youll Feel part of the build that you would never want to come Away from .
Omg...I love this concept... needs to be a show on tv!
What a great experience. Really, re-learning what our ancestors knew.