How medieval castles handled sewage

Medieval castles were centers of power, defense, and daily life for nobles, knights, and servants. However, with large populations living within their walls, managing waste and sewage was a critical challenge. Unlike modern plumbing, medieval sanitation relied on simple yet effective solutions to prevent disease and maintain hygiene. From Garde robe (toilets) to cesspits and drainage systems, castles employed various methods to handle human waste, ensuring that living conditions remained as tolerable as possible in an era before germ theory and advanced engineering.

The most recognizable sewage feature in medieval castles was the Garde robe, a primitive toilet often built into the castle walls. These were small chambers with a hole that emptied directly outside the castle or into a moat. The term “Garde robe” (from the French Garder “to keep and robe “clothing”) suggests that these rooms were sometimes used to store garments, as the ammonia from urine helped repel moths.

Garde robes were typically located in privy towers—small projections from the castle walls—so waste could fall straight down into a ditch or river below. Some castles, like Dover Castle in England, had multiple Garde robes positioned along outer walls for efficient waste disposal. In larger castles, such as Conway Castle in Wales, Garde robes were built in clusters, allowing several people to use them at once.

Chute System: Waste dropped through a vertical shaft, sometimes lined with stone to prevent seepage into the castle walls.

Water Flushing (Rarely): A few advanced castles, like Leeds Castle in Kent, had rudimentary flushing systems where rainwater or diverted streams helped wash waste away.

Privacy: High-status individuals sometimes had private Garde robes, while soldiers and servants used communal ones.

Not all waste could be disposed of via Garde robes. Many castles relied on cesspits—underground pits where sewage collected. These were periodically emptied by gong farmers (medieval sanitation workers), who removed the waste manually, often at night. The contents were then transported outside the castle to be used as fertilizer or dumped in remote areas.

In some cases, waste accumulated in midden heaps, large piles of refuse that included food scraps, animal dung, and human waste. While unsanitary by modern standards, these middens were usually placed far from living quarters to minimize odors and disease.

Castles needed effective drainage to prevent flooding and stagnant water, which could lead to disease. Many had:

• Stone Gutters: Channels carved into floors or walls directed rainwater and liquid waste away from living spaces.
• Corbel Chutes: Projecting stone spouts allowed waste water to pour out from upper floors into courtyards or moats.
• Moats as Sewage Ditches: While primarily defensive, moats often doubled as dumping grounds for waste, though this could create foul-smelling and polluted water.

Not everyone had access to a Garde robe, especially in crowded castles. Chamber pots—ceramic or metal containers—were commonly used at night or in private chambers. Servants would empty them into cesspits or out of windows (leading to the famous cry of “Gardy-loo!” in medieval towns).

Wealthy nobles sometimes used close stools, wooden boxes with a removable pot, offering more comfort and privacy. King Henry VIII even had a velvet-covered close stool, demonstrating that even royalty dealt with sewage issues.

Despite these systems, medieval castle sanitation was far from perfect. Poor waste management led to:

• Contaminated Water: Waste seeping into wells or rivers caused dysentery and cholera.
• Vermin Infestations: Rats and flies spread diseases like the Black Death.
• Foul Odors: The stench of sewage made living conditions unpleasant, especially in summer.

By the late medieval period, some castles improved sanitation with:

• More Advanced Drainage: Castles like Beaumaris in Wales had intricate underground sewers.
• Separate Kitchen and Latrine Areas: Reducing cross-contamination of food and waste.
• Increased Use of Cesspits: Minimizing direct dumping into moats.

Medieval castles managed sewage through a mix of practical solutions— Garde robes, cesspits, and drainage systems—that balanced necessity with limited technology. While far from hygienic by modern standards, these methods helped sustain castle life for centuries. The evolution of sanitation in castles also laid the groundwork for later advancements in public health, proving that even in the Middle Ages, people understood the importance of waste management.