Saturday, March 13, 2010

Did they keep beds upstairs in Tudor times?

Homes in Tudor England varied by social class.  Wealthier people had larger homes with many rooms, while poor families typically had three or fewer rooms in their house.  England's cold weather determined the sleeping arrangements of people.  


Wealthier people sometimes slept in canopied, curtained beds.  These beds kept drafts away from the sleepers.  Tudor style homes were some of the first to have chimneys.  With the development of chimneys, second floors became popular in Tudor houses.  Upstairs rooms could have a fireplace, so they could be used as bedrooms.  It was important to sleep near a fire for warmth during the cold winter months.


Poorer people had small, single story houses.  These cottages usually had one to three rooms.  People slept on mattresses on the floor.  These mattresses were commonly stuffed with straw.  Fires in these small houses were vented using holes in the thatched roofs.

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