Guedelon Castle, France

For anyone who has ever dreamed of being able to travel back in time and see what a real castle looked like when it was being built, Guedelon is a dream come true. It is the only reproduction castle in the world, to be built with only the traditional materials, tools and skills of medieval man. Guedelon is a 13th Century construction site, in 21st century France. 

The new castle at Guedelon is being built under the same conditions and working methods of 13th Century France. There is no electricity or mechanical machines, and everything down to the last nail is being made on site. There is no better way to learn about medieval construction, than to see it in practice. 

From the time I learned about the project, I knew it would be at the top of my list of places to see in France. The building of Guedelon Castle is a 25-year project, and while the castle is set to be completed in 2025, it is hoped that the rest of the village will also be re-created after this. There really would be no stopping the re-production of an entire medieval village. But I’m getting ahead of myself, so lets get to the story of Guedelon.

In 13th Century France, castles were the bases of power. They presided over local lands and villages, with the Castellan having the right to bear arms and the duty of being called to the aid of his Overlord, be that the King or another nobleman. The right to build a castle could only be granted by the King. In England, this was a 'licence to crenellate’, in France I believe it is, ‘droit de ban’ 

 In 13th Century France, Philip Augustus (1199-1214), set out to reclaim many French territories and in doing so he also built many castles, which he permanently garrisoned with his own men, ensuring that the castles would stay loyal to him, as these local lords were directly under his command. His grandson, Louis IX, continued these efforts and embarked on extensive building programs. It is these castles from which Guedelon would be inspired.

Back in the 21st Century, a man named Michel Guyot, who was born at nearby Saint Fargeus Castle, began to dream of rebuilding a medieval fortress. Then he did what many medievalists can only dream of - he set about finding out how he could really do this. He consulted with experts Christian Corvisier, who was a castellologist, and Nicolas Faucherre ,a fortification expert, who helped him realise his dream of bringing a medieval construction site to life - building a castle using the same techniques and materials available in the 13th Century. This would be a unique archaeological project, on a colossal scale, the likes of which the world had never seen before.

From the start, Guedelon was intended to be both a tourist attraction and a place of learning, where workers would have distinct and dual roles. They were to create, using their craft, and also teach the public about castle building. In the end, visitors were to fund the project. The true goal however, was not to see the end of the project where the castle would be completed, but to enjoy the 25 years of its creation and the daily life on a medieval building site.

Guedelon Castle is set during the reign of King Louis, between 1226 and 1270. It is based on other 13th Century castles in the region of Burgundy, France. Before the castle was started, research was done into Philippien castles, which are either castles built by Philip Augustus or those based on that model. The main characteristics of these castles being curtain walls, flanked by circular towers, which created a central courtyard, against which ranges of building were built. Defensive ditches could then surround this. 

Once the decision was made that the project would go ahead, the site of a disused quarry surrounded by woodland was purchased. This would have all the natural materials required for constructing a castle. Just as in the middle ages, the more materials that can be acquired locally, the more you can reduce the building costs. The project commenced in May of 1998, and took its aligned date of May 1229, in order to ground itself into the time period that it would reflect. 

Very detailed plans were created for the Castle at Guedelon, by studying dozens of Philippien castles in the region. Iconography was also studied, through manuscripts, stained glass windows and paintings of the period. The plans included supporting workshops, that would allow for the blacksmiths, stonemasons, and carpenters to work on site, as well as to provide shelter for the cart horses who would transport materials. 

At the beginning of the middle ages, the job of architect did not exist. It was normally left to the patron to decide on the design, and then the master of works would figure out how it could be implemented. The master mason would receive an order to construct a building, this would then have a drawing, or model associated with it. It would fall to the mason to resolve any issues and manage the project's finances throughout the construction. 

In the middle ages, a master mason would have a wide variety of skills and be well travelled. He would act as site manager and be responsible for organising the different craftsmen,, who would need to work together for the building site to run smoothly. He would often be found in the tracing house, where plans were set out and scaled drawings created. Wooden templates or moulds were often created. It was only at the end of the Middle Ages that plans were drawn on parchment. At Guedelon today, just as in the past, workers arrive every morning knowing what needs to be done. They organise their own working days and attend weekly site meetings, organised by the master-mason, where every craft can report on progress and work out any issues, as well as coordinate with other tradesmen. 

Today, just as in medieval France, the measurements used in the construction of Guedelon are an Inch, a Palm (which is 3 inches), a Hand (which is 5 inches), a Hand Span (which is 8 inches), a Foot (which is 12 inches), a Cubit (which equals a hand span and 1 foot, so 18 inches in total), and a Toise, which is 6 feet. These measurements date back to Roman times, and were still in use throughout the middle ages. Just to add to the confusion, the inch varied in size from 2.5cm to 3.2 cm. 

The castle's quarry was one of the most important aspects. It would be used to supply stone for the walls, as well as sand for mortar, clay for the roof and floor tiles, and some of the pigments for the limewash. Every bit of the felled trees from the local forest would be used. Medieval building practices used local materials, which were sustainable and reusable. We could learn a lot from the past, when it comes to modern buildings. The mortar that would hold the castle together was created from limestone. Limestone was crushed, then heated to very high temperature, and then added to water, to create lime putty. From this you can make mortar, plaster and limewash. At Guedelon the recipe for Filling mortar, is 1/3 equal parts of clay, sand and lime putty, with water added as needed. The clay is added to give the filling layer inside the walls, some ability to move as required. The Pointing mortar, is created from 1/3 lime putty and 2/3 sand, with water added as required. This recipe doesn’t vary much anywhere in medieval Europe, although different masons would use slight local variations. 

Guedelon is truly experimental archaeology, with every tradesman there having to learn and adapt, while approaching tasks from a completely new angle. However, this is what gives Guedelon it's authenticity, where the sounds are of chisels on stone, or hammers on anvils, and wood being split by hand. What there isn’t, is the sound of a power tool anywhere, as there is no power on the site. 

The blacksmiths at Guedelon, just as in the middle ages, have a vital role in the running of the site. They start by creating the tools that are needed by the teams of workmen, and as the project moves on, they are also needed to rework and sharpen tools. Iron production is labour intensive and costly, and tools are constantly being transformed when they are beyond repair. The blacksmiths at Guedelon also make all the nails, hinges and decorative ironwork that will be used on the site. Just as on a medieval building site, a set of shelves is located outside the masons forge, fitted with pigeonholes where workers can leave their tools for repair. These will then be reworked and left in the same pigeonhole, bearing the owners mark, for collection. The blacksmith also fits much of the ironwork. Hinges are fitted by being embedded into a masonry block which molten lead, this is why many of them have survived today. 

Quarrymen would be needed to mine the stone for the castle's walls. Quarries were a source of income for the wealthy in the Middle Ages. Having a quarry on site, made producing the stone for Guedelon vastly easier and less expensive. Quarriers would learn about the rock they were dealing with, as each different type of stone has its own characteristics. Quarrymen’s secrets were often handed down from generation to generation. They would need to know how the stone would split, and the best way to literally read the rock. In any one quarry, the strength of the stone can vary greatly. Many different types of stone would be produced from one quarry. Nothing was wasted, and everything from rubble stones of irregular shape, which were used for filling the centre of the walls, to ashlar blocks of good quality, that were used as dressed stone which could be worked and carved to perfection, all come from the same quarry. 

Stonemasons were Freemen, who would travel and work on numerous sites. When a stonemason arrived on site, he would often be paid by task while his skills where assessed, and once accepted he would move to a weekly rate. Each mason would choose a letter or symbol to mark his work on the stone, this is known as the mason’s mark. Mason’s were often paid by the finished stone and this was also used as a way to control the quality of the stonework, as well as a way to tally up the number of stones a mason had finished. These marks were carved into the upper face of the stone, so that they would not be seen once fitted into position.

In the Middle Ages, masons did not make the lime mortar that was constantly required, this was done by the mortelier or mortar-maker. Geology also played a part, as mortar was made from local materials and recipes would be altered by availability. The basic ingredients were always the same, with lime putty being the most essential component. Adjusting the amount of lime would alter the strength of the mix, as would different grades of sand, which would vary by location. Mixes also varied by use, with more flexible mortars uses for vaults and arches, and the finest mortar used on facing stones. A more course mortar was used on rubble walls, that were often intended to be covered with limewash, which would work to preserve them. The great advantage of lime mortar is that it is workable for hours or days after use, depending on its thickness, as it needs exposure to air to cure. This allows for small movements in the building, as the lime is slightly flexible. 

Woodcutters did not work with medieval construction teams. Instead, the master mason or head carpenter, would select timber and mark the trees, which would be cut down to be used. Trees were selected according to their height and width, and to fulfil specific needs. The trees were then felled, and the trunks were squared up using side axes. The off-cuts would often be used for wooden shingles, for lesser buildings. The main trunks would be used for beams, rafters and joists, with the smaller branches used for scaffolding and putlogs. Oak was primarily used, however other woods such as hazel, chestnut and willow, were also used for things. 

Carpenters were in integral part of the castle building team, and would work closely with the other trades on site. They were not just there to build the roof and the doors, but also make all the wheel barrows, and wooden tools, as well as making and installing the scaffolding, which would be moved and re-created throughout the build. Carpenters would also build the lifting machines that were needed to hoist the stone and mortar up to high levels. The scaffold itself was held in place by the weight of the stonewalls, and carpenters needed to work closely with masons, who would need to leave space for putlogs, so that the scaffold could move higher on the walls. Putlogs were horizontal timbers, which project out from the wall and slot into the wall itself. The masons would have to know where they would be needed, and would ‘put the log’ into the wall. Once that section was complete, the scaffold could be moved up. 

The Tilers would set up work close to a clay pit, and would require a constant supply of wood for the kilns. The clay was then slaked and pugged to remove stones and other impurities, so that the tiles could be moulded. These were then left for days on drying racks, until they were ready to be fired. Tilers belonged to guilds and strict rules were established to govern the tiling trade. All tiles needed to adhere to standard regulations, and these went so far as to instruct the tiler how many tiles could be fired at a time, and what size kiln they must use. 

Medieval builders created mechanical devices that were designed to make building work easier. Many of these involve the ability to lift heavy materials up to great heights, which would save time and money. These include pulleys, hand winches, capstans, sheerlegs and treadmills, for the most part. Guedelon uses treadmill winches, which are operated by men walking inside a giant wheel, which looks similar to an oversized hamster wheel. While mortar can be lifted by hand winches, heavier loads need something with more man power. The treadmill winch is made from two vertical wheels, which turn on a central axis, and the pulley system allows for loads of up to 600kg to be lifted.