THE PARTS OF A MANOR HOUSE
Chapter II - The Hall
From Saxon days until the end of the fifteenth century the hall was the most important part of a manor house. It was the chief room of the house, and around it all the other rooms were grouped.
In the great hall the lord of the manor held his courts, and there his retainers and serfs sat at the one long table for their evening meal. After the fifteenth century, with the springing up of large and prosperous cities and the founding of the trade gilds, many village craftsmen flocked to the cities, and the nobles no longer kept up the same state of grandeur in their castles and manor houses.
The farm labourers, too, had become more independent, and as they gradually became possessed of homes of their own, there was not the same need for them to seek their meals at their lord's table as they had previously done.
It is not easy for us to-day to picture to ourselves one of these great halls, with a large household sitting down for a common meal, the retainers and servants in the body of the hall, the master and his guests on the raised platform, or dais, at the end. With the passing away of this common meal, this jovial gathering of serf and noble, both the spirit and the meaning of the old hall were lost beyond recovery.
Many halls were partly screened off, and behind the screens the serving of meals and carving was done, while at the back of the screens were doorways leading to the pantry, the buttery, and the kitchen. Above the screens was a music gallery or loft for minstrels, always an important feature of an old hall. This gallery generally had a separate entrance from the outside, so that the musicians could reach it without having to go through the hall.
In the great hall the lord of the manor held his courts, and there his retainers and serfs sat at the one long table for their evening meal. After the fifteenth century, with the springing up of large and prosperous cities and the founding of the trade gilds, many village craftsmen flocked to the cities, and the nobles no longer kept up the same state of grandeur in their castles and manor houses.
The farm labourers, too, had become more independent, and as they gradually became possessed of homes of their own, there was not the same need for them to seek their meals at their lord's table as they had previously done.
It is not easy for us to-day to picture to ourselves one of these great halls, with a large household sitting down for a common meal, the retainers and servants in the body of the hall, the master and his guests on the raised platform, or dais, at the end. With the passing away of this common meal, this jovial gathering of serf and noble, both the spirit and the meaning of the old hall were lost beyond recovery.
Many halls were partly screened off, and behind the screens the serving of meals and carving was done, while at the back of the screens were doorways leading to the pantry, the buttery, and the kitchen. Above the screens was a music gallery or loft for minstrels, always an important feature of an old hall. This gallery generally had a separate entrance from the outside, so that the musicians could reach it without having to go through the hall.
In addition to a large raised hearth for burning logs, fireplaces were often built in the walls. Sometimes these were enriched with paneling and at other times painted with coats of arms. The open timber roofs of many halls are very fine and quite as good as those to be found in the churches of the same period. The roof of Trinity College, Cambridge, is an excellent example, and that at Christ Church Hall, Oxford, is almost equally good, as is also that at Westminster School.
The hall-flooring was usually of paved tiles which, being in many colours, were laid in patterns; but the earliest floors, like those of old cottages and farmhouses, were laid with large flagstones and covered with rushes. Beneath the floor of the hall were various vaults and cellars.
We must remember that these old halls did not look so bare in those days as they do to-day. The walls, whether of stone or panelled with wood, were hung with rich tapestries to a height of eight or ten feet. These hangings were often brought from abroad and cost large sums of money. The pegs on which the tapestries were hung can still be seen on many walls, although the tapestry has disappeared.
All around the hall were stags' antlers for hanging coats and hats upon, while on the boarding at the end, and perhaps over the fireplace, would be swords and lances, hunting-horns and dog-whips.
The hall-flooring was usually of paved tiles which, being in many colours, were laid in patterns; but the earliest floors, like those of old cottages and farmhouses, were laid with large flagstones and covered with rushes. Beneath the floor of the hall were various vaults and cellars.
We must remember that these old halls did not look so bare in those days as they do to-day. The walls, whether of stone or panelled with wood, were hung with rich tapestries to a height of eight or ten feet. These hangings were often brought from abroad and cost large sums of money. The pegs on which the tapestries were hung can still be seen on many walls, although the tapestry has disappeared.
All around the hall were stags' antlers for hanging coats and hats upon, while on the boarding at the end, and perhaps over the fireplace, would be swords and lances, hunting-horns and dog-whips.
The bay window was at first quite small, but it became larger and more imposing as the country became more peaceful. A few halls had two such windows, one at each end, but the usual position for a bay window was at the back of the dais. The beautiful bay window is at Fawsley Park. It is placed in the middle of one side of the hall, which is rather an uncommon position. This is a very fine window, with the flat surfaces or faces of the arch, called soffits, richly paneled, as also is the ceiling.
When the lord of the manor no longer took his evening meals with his households, many old halls were divided into two parts by a screen. One of these parts was used as a dining-halls and the other part as a withdrawing-room, or as we now say, drawing-room. Chiefly, however, the hall became smaller owing to the growing importance of other rooms, and with the building of "solars" and bedrooms, the hall was no longer used as a sleeping apartment, as had been the custom from Saxon days. The large hall never entirely disappeared, even in Elizabeth's days, but with an ever-increasing demand for privacy and comfort it became of less importance than formerly.
When the lord of the manor no longer took his evening meals with his households, many old halls were divided into two parts by a screen. One of these parts was used as a dining-halls and the other part as a withdrawing-room, or as we now say, drawing-room. Chiefly, however, the hall became smaller owing to the growing importance of other rooms, and with the building of "solars" and bedrooms, the hall was no longer used as a sleeping apartment, as had been the custom from Saxon days. The large hall never entirely disappeared, even in Elizabeth's days, but with an ever-increasing demand for privacy and comfort it became of less importance than formerly.
