Small Castle Cottage

Do people still build castles nowadays? Is the art of this old construction method a memory of the past or are there still people building castles nowadays? If you dream of the days of maidens with tumbling golden hair, jesters in the courtyard and regal gardens to take one's tea, then you will be thrilled (like I am) to learn about a project that has been on the go for 25 years in the UK to build a medieval castle not only to have the charm, feel and majesty of your imagination, but also to employ the methods of the medieval times to do so.

The mastermind behind this massive castle building undertaking is the director, Maryline Marting. She came up with this fantastic idea as a way to create long term employment for the unemployed. "The beauty of a 25-year project to build a medieval castle, she advocated, was not only that it might offer sustainable jobs but, more importantly, that it could provide people with skills and qualifications that would give them a trade for life." The project, Gu�delon, is by far one of the world's biggest experimental archaeological site and it is also highly productive. Since the beginning in 1997 the workforce have used the tools and techniques of the 13th century to unravel the mysteries of medieval construction. If something has to be made, there are blacksmiths to forge the nails and hinges and any small inaccuracy will cost them time and materials. The skills learned on these sites can help the builders/participants to be able to find employment with old heritage building restoration, or if they are crafty then perhaps they will come up with their own new methods of creating homes in their respective areas.

Learn more about building a castle at the link below to BBC.