35 Facts About Medieval Toilet

Medieval Toilets: A Glimpse into the Past

Medieval toilets, also known as garderobes or privy chambers, were a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of life in medieval Europe. These primitive yet functional facilities were a significant improvement over earlier methods of waste disposal, but they were far from the modern, hygienic toilets we use today. Here are 35 fascinating facts about medieval toilets, providing a comprehensive look at their history, design, and impact on society.

Early Concepts and Terminology

Understanding the origins and terminology of medieval toilets gives us insight into how these facilities evolved over time.

1. Medieval toilets were not a new concept. Ancient civilizations such as the Minoans and Romans had their own versions of flushing toilets. The Minoans, for example, used toilets with water channels leading to soakaways around 2000-1450 B.C. in Crete.

2. The name "garderobe" comes from the French word for "wardrobe," which initially referred to any small cupboard or room. Over time, it specifically came to mean a toilet or privy chamber, especially in castles.

Design and Location

The design and placement of medieval toilets were crucial for their functionality and effectiveness.

3. Medieval toilets were often located on several floors of castles and were not much bigger than a modern-day coffee shop restroom. They were designed mainly with function in mind, with openings that led into latrines or castle moats below.

4. There were several types of medieval toilets, including those with waste shafts running down the exterior of forts into moats or rivers, and those with internal castle channels that funneled waste into courtyards or cesspits.

5. Some castles had toilets protruding out from the walls, with openings hanging above open-air, allowing gravity to do the rest. These were often separated from the user by a wooden bench.

6. Inside the castle, toilets were set back in recesses or within mural chambers (passages within walls). Not all castles had the luxury of internal toilets, and those that did often had short narrow passageways leading to them.

Privacy and Waste Disposal

Privacy and waste disposal were significant concerns in medieval times, influencing the design and use of toilets.

7. Medieval toilets often lacked privacy, with some having no doors or dividers. This made them a source of discomfort and social stigma.

8. Waste disposal was a significant issue in medieval times. Waste often fell into moats or rivers, where it was carried away from the castle. In some cases, local farmers collected the waste to use as fertilizer.

9. The role of the "gong farmer" was crucial in Tudor England. These individuals had to work at night to avoid offending others with the smell of their work.

Hygiene and Toilet Paper

Hygiene practices and materials used for cleaning were quite different from what we are accustomed to today.

10. Medieval toilet paper consisted of hay, grass, or even moss. Hay was a common choice but posed its own set of risks, as recounted by 12th-century monk Jocelin de Brakelond, who nearly caused a fire at the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds.

11. Building toilets within palace walls wasn't just for convenience; it also served as a hindrance to potential enemies. By building toilets with shafts that emptied into courtyards or cesspits, invaders could be kept relatively at bay.

Strategic and Luxury Toilets

Toilets in castles were not only about waste disposal but also played a role in defense and luxury.

12. During sieges, toilets could become a strategic advantage or disadvantage. In 1203-4 CE, besiegers used a latrine shaft to gain entry to Château Gaillard on the River Seine in France. To prevent this in the future, a masonry wall was built around the shaft exit.

13. Some castles had more advanced toilet systems, including three tiers of toilets and shafts emptying into the same courtyard basement. These systems were designed for efficiency and practicality.

14. Toilet seats were made of wooden benches covering the shaft hole in the masonry. The wood was usually cut with a rectangular or keyhole aperture.

Evolution of Toilets

The evolution of toilets from medieval times to modern days reflects significant advancements in hygiene and public health.

15. The rise of the Groom of the Stool during the reign of Henry VIII marked a unique position of influence. This person was responsible for helping the king with his bathroom needs and often became a rich and important member of the king’s fiscal policy.

16. In 1592, Sir John Harrington invented England’s first flushing toilet. This "water closet" comprised a raised cistern with a small pipe that would flush away waste. Despite the innovation, it took more than 200 years for Harrington’s invention to be updated and catch on with other hygienic practices.

17. In 1775, Alexander Cummings updated John Harrington’s design by adding an S-shaped pipe. This design trapped the worst of the stench in the toilet and away from users' noses, significantly improving hygiene.

18. Thomas Crapper, an Edwardian plumber, is often credited with popularizing the flushing toilet. However, the slang term for waste, commonly attributed to him, has been around since the Middle Ages and likely derived from Dutch and Old French words.

19. It wasn’t until 1848 that every new house in England was legally required to have a toilet. Before this, toilets were known as "water closets" or ash-pit privies.

20. The installation of London’s first sewer systems in 1865 led to a significant drop in deaths from cholera and typhoid. This was largely due to the understanding that cholera spreads through contaminated water, a discovery attributed to John Snow.

Medieval Toilet Designs and Innovations

Medieval toilet designs were innovative for their time, incorporating various methods to manage waste.

21. Medieval toilets were often built into outward-facing walls. Waste fell below into moats or rivers, or in some cases, flowed directly into a river where it was carried away from the castle. Some castles had toilet shafts emptying directly into courtyards or cesspits.

22. Some castles featured tiers of toilets on the outside wall, all sending waste to the same collection point. Dover Castle, built in the second half of the 11th century CE, had a cesspit at the base of one wall to collect waste from the toilets above.

23. Occasionally, the common collection point was cleaned out by a natural stream. In some cases, waste was collected by local farmers to be reused as fertilizer, which was a common practice in medieval times.

24. Hay was a common material used as toilet paper during the Middle Ages. However, it posed risks, such as causing fires, as recounted by Jocelin de Brakelond.

Etiquette and Maintenance

Using and maintaining medieval toilets required specific etiquette and practices to ensure functionality and cleanliness.

25. Using the toilet was a private affair, but it was not always private. In some cases, toilets were shared, and users had to be mindful of their surroundings to avoid offending others.

26. In some cases, herbs were used to aromatize the air around toilets, especially when they were not situated in privy chambers with windows. This practice was common in castles where privacy was limited.

27. Washing medieval toilets was a burdensome task. Those tasked with this duty threw buckets of water down the toilet shaft or rerouted rain from the gutters to clean the facilities.

28. Toilet seats were made of wooden benches covering the shaft hole in the masonry. The wood was usually cut with a rectangular or keyhole aperture to provide some level of privacy and comfort.

29. Hay, grass, or even moss were used as toilet paper during the Middle Ages. These materials were readily available and served the purpose, although they posed their own set of risks and challenges.

Feudalism and Royal Expenditure

The fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of feudalism influenced the construction and maintenance of toilets in medieval castles.

30. The fall of the Roman Empire led to feudalism in Europe, where wealthy lords built castles and controlled power. Building toilets within these castles was a significant endeavor that required substantial resources and planning.

31. King Edward I nearly bankrupted the crown’s treasuries by spending 100,000 pounds on his Welsh fortifications, with toilets being a major design priority. This expenditure highlights the importance placed on toilet facilities in medieval castles.

32. Using hay as toilet paper posed risks, such as causing fires. In one instance, a fire nearly broke out at the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds due to the use of hay as toilet paper.

The Job of the Gong Farmer

The role of the gong farmer was essential in maintaining hygiene in medieval times.

33. The job of removing excrement from toilets was known as a "gong farmer." These individuals had to work at night to avoid offending others with the smell of their work. Despite the unpleasant nature of the job, they received decent pay per ton of excrement removed.

34. Medieval toilets in castles were often built into outward-facing walls. Waste fell below into moats or rivers, or in some cases, flowed directly into a river where it was carried away from the castle. Some castles had toilet shafts emptying directly into courtyards or cesspits.

35. The medieval toilet was an ingenious step toward the modern toilet. It took until the advent of indoor plumbing in the mid-1800s to standardize the marvelous innovation of toilets. The evolution of toilets reflects significant advancements in hygiene and public health over the centuries.

The Evolution of Medieval Toilets

Medieval toilets, or garderobes, were a fascinating blend of practicality and ingenuity. From their humble beginnings in castle walls to the more advanced systems that funneled waste into moats or cesspits, these early sanitation solutions played a crucial role in medieval life. Despite their lack of privacy and the often unpleasant job of gong farmers, these toilets marked a significant step forward in waste management.

The transition from medieval garderobes to modern flushing toilets highlights the continuous quest for better hygiene. Innovations like Sir John Harrington's first flushing toilet and Alexander Cummings' S-shaped pipe paved the way for today's sanitary systems. Understanding the evolution of these facilities not only sheds light on medieval life but also underscores the importance of advancements in public health. Medieval toilets were more than just functional necessities; they were a testament to human ingenuity and adaptability.