Medieval Floor Rushes

Rushes provided good insulation and could help to keep the floor clean.

Medieval floor rushes. I know that i often point to the secrets of the castle for examples but the archaeologists demonstrate the practicalities of medieval life so well. Absorbent material was used in dining and messy areas soaks up mess and easily swept away. For rushes think the following tied bundles on the floor of those who could afford it or had the inclination and strewn rushes for those who dwelt in temporary basic accommodation. The tapestries they hung on their walls were woven.

Threat to middle ages hygiene rush flooring the practice of covering floors with rushes was a a real threat to hygiene and health during the middle ages. Herbs such as lavender and southernwood are added into the weave as the flooring is being made. The cloth medieval europeans were wearing was woven. Most floors were not covered in rushes much nicer than straw but kept bare.

This page has this to say and started off my inquiry. I was completely fascinated to find this page of notes about real life for the upper. The cruel old duke throws a chicken bone to let the dogs fight over it among the piles of rushes. Thresh oe threscan meaning to stamp or trample 3 and threshold oe therscwold being a place to step.

Underneath was an earth floor for the peasants so anything that raised the individual above the ground was a bonus. The word threshold like thresh is old english oe in origin and dates to before the twelfth century. Traditional rush floor matting is also known as medieval or apple matting. I too have had an issue with the notion of women in long gowns walking around on loose rushes whether or not they were sprinkled with herbs.

The straw on the floor trope is because a film set wants to hide the modern hard wearing surface. The romance heroine walks through the great hall her long gown trailing on the floor across strewn rushes and scented herbs. It smells as good as it looks and should be sprayed with an atomizer now and then to rejuvenate the rush and to release the scent. Following the black death a limited number of carpets and mats were introduced to replace the floor rushes but floors strewn with straw or rushes were still favoured.

Everywhere in medieval life you read about rushes on the floor. In the late medieval and early renaissance periods loose rushes gave way to woven or stitched rush mats on floors which provided similar benefits but wore well and were easier to replace. By the time of the english tudors floor coverings in castles were mostly purchased rush mats.