Fortified Manor

Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould

FORTIFIED MANOR 1

CREDITSWriter: Kerry MouldMaps & Plans: Kerry Mould,

Thomas ShookIllustrations: Richard LuschekEditing and Layout: Brent Bailey

his article describes a large, fortified manor house. It is unnamed and intended to be usable in any fantasy campaign. It is an example of the sort of manor house that might be found on a large, wealthy estate. The lord of

such a manor is only one step below a baron and can afford to build a fine stone manor house, support a large household, and live in an impressive style. It may be a newly constructed manor in a dangerous frontier region where such strong defences are necessary or it might be an old, long-settled manor whose defences are now merely a reminder of days gone by.

The manor house was constructed under the direction of a skilled master mason. The stone walls are straight, level, and plumb. As a result, they are exceptionally tight, strong, and draft free. The wood is all old-growth oak; single pieces are used wherever possible. The windows into the nobles’ chambers and the chapel are made with glass, while those in the other rooms are made with horn or taut sheepskin. All the windows have two-inch-thick oak shutters; the ones on the ground floor are iron-clad on the outside. The surfaces of the flat roofs of the watchtower and parapets are constructed of 12-inch-wide, six-inch-thick planks of oak, waterproofed with tarred rope driven into the seams, and covered with a thin layer of flagstones for fire protection. They are slightly sloped from the middle out to the sides for

good drainage. The pitched roofs are built with narrower, three-inch-thick planks and covered with slate shingles to protect them from fire. The gatehouse passage, cellars, and kitchen are roofed with skilfully fitted groin vaults. The rooms above them have stone floors.

Instead of braziers, fireplaces are used throughout. They give out a decent amount of heat and only smoke a little bit. With good window coverings and well-built masonry walls, the manor house is remarkably warm and free of drafts for a stone building. The manor cost approximately twice the price of a normal building of similar size and took three times as long to build.

The following pages describe the manor house in detail. The rooms are numbered, but GMs can adjust their purpose and change occupants to suit their own requirements. Descriptions of the inhabitants have been kept vague. The members of the household are referred to by their role rather than by name to allow them to be integrated into any fantasy or historical campaign.

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GROUND FLOORDry Moat: [1] The manor house is surrounded by a moat that is 10 feet deep and 15 feet across. It is kept dry to keep the cellars from getting damp. Grass grows in the bottom of the moat and it is used as a pen for the manor’s geese. The geese make a lot of noise when disturbed, acting as a living alarm system.Gatehouse:[2] This is the only access to the manor house. The groin-vaulted entrance is protected by two sets of six-inch thick iron-clad oak doors. The gates are normally open during the day, with two men-at-arms always on guard. The existing wooden bridge was supposed to be replaced with a drawbridge but one was never installed. The bridge can be dismantled in a half day if necessary.Courtyard: [3] The courtyard is small but kept neat and tidy. It is cobbled to keep down the mud. Two sheds for firewood have been built against the main hall wall. The manor house’s 16 fireplaces consume vast amounts of wood. A firewood cutter makes daily deliveries. A stone-lined well, surrounded by a waist-high wall, serves the manor. The rope and bucket are attached to a winch. The water is clear and cold.Knight-Retainer’s Quarters:[4] The lord displays his wealth by keeping a knight as his personal retainer. The young knight commands the small manor guard. He shares this fine room with his wife. They do not yet have any children, but are trying.Sage’s Quarters:[5] A scholar employed by the lord to educate the household. This room doubles as a classroom for the noble children during the day.Chamberlain’s Quarters:[6] The chamberlain is responsible for purchasing all supplies and supervising the household servants. He can read and write and keeps accurate accounts of household expenses. He wields significant power because he effectively runs the household and controls access to the lord. He has a comfortable corner room that he shares with his wife, eldest son and daughter-in-law, and two younger unmarried daughters. The family members are all employed as domestic servants.Kitchen and Bakehouse:[7] This room has stone walls and groin vaulting for fire protection. A massive fireplace, 10 feet wide and large enough to cook an entire ox, dominates the room. A smaller baking oven flanks it. The double doors from the courtyard are usually left open during the day to dissipate the heat generated by the cooking fires. A trapdoor just inside the entrance opens to the cellars. A block and tackle suspended from the ceiling above

the trapdoor is used to lower crates and barrels into the cellars below. A spiral stone staircase leads up to the nobles’ quarters and down to the cellar. Although the lord prefers to use the stairs in the great hall to reach his solar, everyone else has to pass through the kitchen, making it a very busy place.Great Hall:[8] The social and legal hub of the manor. By night, the lord hosts feasts for this friends and liegemen. By day, he manages the concerns of the manor from his seat on the dais. Once a month, he presides over his manor court. Two heavy doors enter at ground level, one from the courtyard and one from the kitchen. The wooden dais supports the lord’s table. Four large fireplaces heat the massive room, keeping it passably warm in all but the depths of winter. A stone staircase rises to the catwalk above. A locked door secures access to the cellar and siege stores below.Bathhouse:[9] The bathhouse has a large wooden tub and a big fireplace to heat the water and keep the bathers warm. The servants draw water from the well and heat it in a pair of large cauldrons over the fire. It takes several hours to heat enough water to fill the tub. Fortunately, the lord only bathes once or twice a week. A drain empties into the dry moat, where the water slowly seeps away.Brew House:[10] This building is dedicated to supplying the massive quantities of beer and ale the household consumes every day. Extra beer and ale is kept cool in the cellar of the great hall.Granary:[11] The three aisles and two lofts of this large barn hold the finished products of the threshing and other agricultural work done in the outer yard. The contents include the products of the lord’s demesne land, such as grains and smoked and salted meat for the household’s consumption, plus seed for next year’s planting and a reserve in the event of crop failure. The granary is kept neat, tight, and dry to keep the valuable food from spoiling. Numerous barely domesticated cats keep the rats and mice to a minimum.Kennel:[12] The manor lord keeps a number of prized hunting dogs in this large, comfortable kennel. By day, the dogs are free to roam the courtyard, coming here only to sleep.Stables:[13] The warhorses of the lord, his knight-retainer, and steward, plus three of the most valuable palfreys, are kept in the stalls during the night. In the morning, the ostler takes the horses, plus those from the stable in the outer yard, out to the pasture to graze. Tack and saddles are hung along the front wall.


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GROUND FLOOR

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SECOND FLOORGuard Room:[1] A staircase from the courtyard provides access to the second floor of the gatehouse. The guardroom at the top of the stairs has a fireplace and a table and stools for the guards when they are not on watch.Nursery:[2] This snug, warm room at the end of the corridor is occupied by the three ladies-in-waiting (all noble relatives), the nursemaid, and the lord’s two small children.Chapel:[3] The chapel is simply furnished with benches and an altar and religious tapestries on the walls. The large window is done in stained glass.Priest’s Room:[4] The priest provides spiritual comfort and advice to the household. He also supervises weddings and funerals and administers the sacraments. His room is spacious but plain. The second bed is for noble guests; two more single cots can be added if necessary. When guests visit, the priest moves in with the sage on the ground floor. This room has been earmarked for the lord’s children when they are old enough. When that happens, the priest will move in with the sage permanently.Steward’s Room:[5] The lord’s closest confidant is his steward. The steward, who is also a knight, visits and inspects the lord’s other manors several times a year. This helps ensure the honesty of the bailiffs. The steward is in his forties, not as quick as he was when he commanded the manor guard in his youth, but more experienced. He can not only read and write, but also is skilled with numbers and auditing and can easily spot a scam or embezzlement. He shares his well-appointed quarters with his wife, their two boys, and their infant daughter.Solar:[6] The solar (lord’s bed chamber) is the finest room in the manor. It is richly decorated with a large, elaborately carved four-poster bed with richly embroidered heavy curtains to keep out the chill. Two high-backed chairs with comfortable cushions stand on an imported carpet in front of the fireplace. Over the mantel are a pair of large crossed battle-axes and a shield bearing the lord’s heraldic crest. A ladder leads up to the loft.Catwalk:[7] The great hall is a lofty 30 feet tall. Half way up the walls is a five-foot-wide catwalk. It encircles the hall, providing access to nine arrow slits and an oak door leading to the lord’s solar. The great hall was the first building built on the manor. Where the catwalk is now was the original height of the second floor and the main hall. The door to the solar was the original entrance to the tower. When the other buildings were constructed, two new doors were cut into the ground floor to provide easier access to the kitchen and courtyard. The wooden

floor was removed to make a taller, grander hall. Two large chandeliers were commissioned to light the room. They can be lowered from a winch on the catwalk. The catwalk is a popular place for lower-ranking visitors to sleep, as this area is kept warm by heat rising from the fireplaces in the hall below. A steep ladder leads up to the parapet.South Parapet: [8] This parapet faces the river. Shaded by the granary and great hall and dominated by the smells of the brew house, it is not as desirable as the east parapet, but is still pleasant on a summer evening. It has become the unofficial gathering spot of the senior servants of the household, who must make way for the lord and other nobles seeking shade.Hay Loft:[9] The lord’s prized horses consume vast amounts of fodder. The voluminous hayloft can store large quantities and could store more if the centre section was planked over. At the chamberlain’s recommendation, the lord ordered several trees be felled last winter. These have been cut into planks and timbers, which are drying in the woodcrafter’s yard. They will be installed late this summer, more than tripling the amount of fodder that can be kept in the loft. This will ensure enough for all the lord’s horses, not just those kept in the manor house stables.East Parapet: [10] This broad parapet looks out over the countryside. On hot muggy days, it is an excellent place to catch a breeze. The lord, his knight-retainer, steward, and herald, along with their wives, use the parapet to relax on warm summer evenings. Chairs are brought from the hall and a brazier set up for fires in the evening.Herald’s Room:[11] The herald is a relative of the lord. He keeps track of the lord’s clan business, teaches clan history to the household, and conducts negotiations on the lord’s behalf. His large desk is strewn with records of heraldry, family trees of the noble families of the kingdom, and official manor records. He shares his comfortable, quiet room with his wife. Their children are grown and have moved into their own households.Physician and Harper’s Room:[12] Two old bachelors share this room. It doesn’t have a fireplace and can be cold in winter. They spend much of their time in the herald’s room when it’s cold. In the warmer months, the two play chess in front of the window.Clothier’s Room and Workshop:[13] The lord’s bonded clothier lives here with his wife and two children. His apprentice sleeps in the loft at the top of the spiral staircase. The clothier weaves and dyes all the clothing for the household. A large loom for making cloth dominates the room. The chamber is warmed by a fireplace and well lit by three windows.


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SECOND FLOOR

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THIRD FLOORGuard’s Quarters:[1] A trapdoor and ladder give access to this chamber from the guardroom below. The manor’s garrison consists of a sergeant (medium foot), two men-at-arms (light foot), and two archers (longbowmen). The sergeant also acts as the lord’s huntsman. He is an accomplished rider and is allowed to use one of the lord’s fine palfreys. The guard’s quarters have a single bed for the sergeant and two bunks for his men.Sleeping Loft:[2] At the top of the spiral staircase is the main sleeping quarters for the servants and lower-ranking guests. The large room has a sloped roof. The floor is finished with broad planks that hundreds of feet have polished to a shine. Several straw ticks are already laid out for the servants who sleep here, including two areas sectioned off with blankets for the cook and his wife (the alewife) and the ostler and his wife. Extra bedrolls are stacked, ready for use. The only source of heat is the warm air that rises up the stairwell from the kitchen and noble quarters below. It can be quite warm in the summer but the windows can be opened to let the heat out. In the winter, the rising heat is rarely enough and the loft can be bitterly cold at night. Because of the threat of fire, the chamberlain has forbidden the servants from bringing a brazier up here to keep warm. On cold nights, the servants often sleep on the catwalk of the great hall.Squire’s Loft:[3] A ladder leads to this loft from the lord’s solar. The lord’s squire sleeps here, at the beck and call of his master. The current occupant doesn’t mind it in the winter; the warmth from the fireplace rises and makes this one of the most comfortable places to sleep. However, in the summer it can become stiflingly hot. The lord usually allows him to sleep on the catwalk in the great hall when the weather is too warm.Strong Room:[4] Most wealthy men tend to secure their valuables in the cellar. This manor lord has chosen to store his wealth as high as possible above his solar. The strong room is aptly named. Twelve-inch-thick planks line the floor and sloped walls of the roof. An iron-clad door with a stout lock protects the lord’s treasure and valuables. The lord holds the only key.Loft:[5] This loft is rarely used, as it can be reached only by ladder. Overflow guests usually prefer to sleep on the catwalk above the great hall. However, the room is spacious and available for use, if a bit dusty.

HOUSEHOLDThe number of residents varies throughout the

year, with the lord taking many of the residents with him when he travels. The numbers can also vary depending on visitors and guests, some who stay for extended periods. The following is a typical list of the household when the lord is in residence:

Lord and Lady (noble) Their two small children (noble) Lord’s squire (noble)Steward and wife (noble) Their three children (noble)Herald and wife (noble)Knight-retainer and wife (noble)Three ladies-in-waiting (noble)Priest (noble)NursemaidChamberlain and wife (domestic) Eldest son and wife (both domestics) Two unmarried children (both domestics)Cook and wife (alewife) *Baker *Clothier and wife (domestic) Their two children Apprentice *Ostler and wife (domestic) * Apprentice * Kennel boy *PhysicianHarperSage/TutorSergeant/Huntsman (medium foot)Two men-at-arms (light foot)Two archers (longbowmen)Six domestics (in addition to those listed above)

Notes: The six additional domestics are women from the village. They normally go home each night and do not sleep in the manor. The members of the household marked with an asterisk (*) sleep in the sleeping loft.


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THIRD FLOOR

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FOURTH FLOORGatehouse Parapet: [1] The parapet roof is used as a watchtower and sentry post. Generally, an archer is on duty here only if trouble is expected. He reports anyone approaching the manor to the man-at-arms at the gate below, giving him sufficient warning to bar the gates if necessary. From this vantage point, an observer can see much of the lord’s manor.

Great Hall Parapet: [2] The roof of the great hall has a parapet running around its perimeter. It is the same height as the gatehouse but rarely manned. A very long and spindly ladder from the catwalk 16 feet below is the only access. It would normally be manned only if the manor house was besieged. Some of the younger boys like to sneak up here when they are trying to get out of work.

SIR OSBERTNote: This character is presented as a possible NPC in

the manor. GMs may prefer to replace him with a character suitable for their own campaign.

Sir Osbert’s family have been nobility for many generations. This manor is his clan’s primary seat. However, it is his cousin, not he, who holds the reins of power. Sir Osbert’s father and the manor lord’s father were first cousins. Sir Osbert himself is the youngest of three sons. By the time he came along, his father’s small inheritance was long spoken for. When he reached adulthood, Osbert decided to become a herald instead. He spent many years learning about the history of the kingdom and of his house. His memory for detail is excellent. By the time he was 30, he had risen to the very highest levels as personal assistant to the king’s own herald. He grew to be an influential man, his opinion and council courted by earls and bishops. Now nearly 80, he has largely retired from the world and accepted a position as the family herald for his second cousin.

Although getting on in years herself, Lady Edna, Sir Osbert’s wife, is still very active. Her eyes now milky white with cataracts, she navigates the house by memory. She is close friends with all the ladies of the house. Four decades older than most of the other women, she has taken on the matronly role of grandmother, councillor, and confidant. No longer able to embroider or knit, she often sits quietly and tells tales of her youth and travels with her husband in the king’s royal retinue. She spins a fine yarn and has a way of making decades-old gossip seem exciting and new.

The Herald of Woe (adventure hook)The king is dead. He died without a legitimate son

or naming an heir. The kingdom is in chaos. Rumours swirl that five decades ago, while in exile after a fight with his father, the king secretly married a commoner and produced two sons. The woman died giving birth to the second son and he was allowed to return from exile and be crowned king. If rumours that he was

married are true, then those two sons are legitimate and legal heirs to the recently vacated throne. If the rumour is false, then they will be excluded from consideration.

There are few still alive who were present in court before the king was crowned. There are fewer still that might have been privy to such secrets. Most have died of old age. The sole remaining eyewitness is Sir Osbert. Despite his retirement, his memory is still sharp and his word unimpeachable. If he were to give sworn testimony as to the king’s marital status when his sons were born, it would be as good as a legal document.

There are two groups interested in Sir Osbert. There are those who desperately wish for his testimony to be given and those who will kill to prevent it. The PCs have been hired to get to Sir Osbert first. Whether they are there to kill him or protect him is up to the GM. If he stays alive, his protectors (the PCs or an NPC group) will want to move him to the capital. He is 80 years old. It won’t take much to kill him.


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FOURTH FLOOR

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CELLARKitchen Cellar:[1] The cellar is cool and dark. It is used to store food for the immediate consumption of the household or more delicate food that can’t be stored in the granary. Items such as smoked meat, vegetables, and dried fruit hang from the ceiling. Barrels of salt beef and fish are stacked neatly against the wall.

Most daily fare is pretty bland but spices can improve the flavour. In the summer and fall, the household diet is augmented with fresh food, but during the winter, residents survive on a diet of salted (sometimes rotting) meat and pottage. Spices are imported over great distances are are extremely valuable. A wealthy man, the lord buys spices in bulk. They are kept in chests in the spice room; the chamberlain and the cook both have keys. The contents of this room are worth a small fortune.

Average wine (for the lord’s liegemen or lower-ranking guests) is kept in the kitchen cellar or the granary. Good wine (for the lord’s daily table) and excellent wine (for special occasions and important guests) is kept locked in the wine cellar. Only the lord, steward, and chamberlain have keys for this room.Siege Stores:[2] Below the great hall is a large groin-vaulted cellar. The room is dry and cool and filled with food set aside in event of famine or siege. Foods that will last a long time are preferred, such as salted meat, sacks of grain, and other preserves. Barred double doors lead to the kitchen cellar for easy access when delivering large or heavy objects, like barrels or crates. The door at the top of the stairs is locked. The lord, steward, and chamberlain have the only keys to the siege stores.

The great hall is the last line of defence for the manor. If the gatehouse or walls are breached, the defenders will fall back to the great hall to make their last stand. In addition to siege stores, the great hall has its own well for emergencies.

The manor lord keeps a large inventory of arms and armour to equip his militia in times of war. The armoury contains numerous short swords, maces, axes, short bows, spears, plate half-helms, round shields, and leather jerkins. There are a few broadswords, longbows, three-quarter helms, and mail byrnies. There are many sheaves of arrows, suitable for both short and long bows. Most of the equipment is of only average quality. The broadswords, mail byrnies, and three-quarter helms are old-fashioned designs. In general, the weapons are well greased, but there is rust on some items.

Secret Passage:[3] This hidden escape route was constructed when the kitchen and solar block were added to the great hall. Only the lord and his wife know of its existence. The entrance to the passage is hidden behind a bookcase in the lord’s solar. A narrow landing gives access to a vertical shaft built into the thickness of the wall. A ladder descends 26 feet in the pitch dark to another small landing. A second secret door opens into the great hall cellar. Pushing the torch bracket up and out activates the secret door. A locked door leads from the landing into a small secret room. In the past, this room has been used to conceal those the lord did not wish the household to know about, including couriers and outlaw clan members. The chest contains preserved food, clothes, weapons, and money in the event the lord has to flee his manor. Bedrolls, backpacks, and canteens are stacked next to the chest. A second locked door leads to a long dark corridor across the manor and under the granary to the secret sally port. The sally port opens into the dry moat. A ladder is kept just inside the doorway to make it easy to climb out of the moat. The geese will still raise the alarm if someone enters the moat by this fashion.

War AxeAmong the

weapons in the armoury is a tall bearded war axe. At first glance, it appears unremarkable except, perhaps, for its lack or rust. On closer inspection, faint runes carved along the edge of the blade are visible. This is, in fact, the long-lost axe of Athelstan the Glorious. It was taken as booty in a battle long ago and unknowingly lumped in with the militia weapons. It is a venerable weapon with a long legacy. The dwarves forged it to fight trolls. It is lighter than it looks and perfectly balanced. It will never rust and the edge is always sharp. A warrior wielding this axe against a troll always strikes first, ignores armour (natural or worn), and does maximum damage.


FORTIFIED MANOR 11

CELLAR

FORTIFIED MANOR 12


ADVENTURE HOOKSLord: The lord of this manor has died without an

heir (or in disgrace). One of the PCs has done a great service for the king or one of his earls or barons. In return for his service, the PC is granted the manor. On his arrival, he is met by the former lord’s household, including his grieving widow and other relatives. The PC must decide what to do. Who will stay and who will go?

Retainers: The PCs are (loyal?) retainers of the lord of the manor. They can fill any of the positions listed or new ones at the GM’s discretion. For added dramatic tension, the lord is angry, vicious, and petty. The PCs must find their way through the daily drama. Can be combined with any of the other hooks.

Guests: The PCs are friends of the lord or have done him a service. He invites them to come and stay at his manor for a while. The PCs are surrounded by suspicious retainers and servants wondering if the PCs are there to replace them. The reception is cold at best.

Murder: The lord is a friend or patron of the PCs. They arrive for a visit only to discover he has been murdered just the night before. His tearful wife calls them aside. She suspects someone in the manor house has killed her husband and intends to kill her and her children

next. Since the PCs have just arrived, they can’t have done it. No one has left yet today. She begs them to solve the murder of her husband.

Twist: As per the hook above, but instead, the PCs have been hired to kill the lord. Once they do, they need to put the blame on someone within the household.

Feast: The lord has announced he will be hosting a feast for his liegemen, friends, acquaintances, local persons of note, and “interesting” people. The PCs receive an invitation. It is a free meal and a chance to mingle and perhaps discover a new patron. The manor is full to bursting and the PCs must bargain for a place to sleep in keeping with their rank (or lack there of).

Hunt: One of the lord’s liegemen is getting married. The PCs have been hired or impressed to help with the hunt as beaters, driving the animals to the hunters. Afterwards, they must carry the carcasses back to the manor house to be used for the meal. If they are crafty, they might be able to swing themselves a meal and perhaps some free beer for their trouble.

Prisoners: The PCs have done something to anger the local lord. He has clapped them in irons pending sentence. Lacking a proper dungeon, they have been thrown into the kennel temporarily. Can they escape?

The Goose Lady (adventure hook)The manor has a large flock of white geese

tended by Modron, the goose lady. At night, they are kept in the dry moat. They are easily disturbed and let out a great din of honking and hissing, making an excellent living alarm. Each morning, Modron walks to the manor from her house in the village. With the assistance of one of the guards, she lowers a wooden ramp into the moat. She rounds up the geese and leads them down to the fishponds to feed. Modron is unusual, to say the least. She is given to strange outbursts and bizarre ramblings. Occasionally, she will appear as if from nowhere and seize a person’s hand. Her grip is unnaturally strong. She will flip over their palm and read it. Her predictions have a disturbing habit of coming true, especially those involving the subject’s death.

The PCs are visiting the manor. One morning, while walking outside the manor house, one of the PCs is seized by Modron. She looks at his hand and says “tsk, tsk, tsk.” She looks at him and says, “Beware the summer solstice. Five boar’s heads hunt the road. Beware the summer solstice…” Then she turns and walks away. No amount of persuasion can get her to repeat the warning or explain it further. If the

PCs try to force her to talk, the lord’s men will intervene. The lord considers her a soothsayer and will not allow any harm to come to her.

The summer solstice is four days away. The PCs are off to their next destination. Who or what the five boar’s heads are is up to the GM.


FORTIFIED MANOR 13

VILLAGE DESCRIPTIONCentred on the village green, the village houses the

lord’s tenants. Freeman farmers and serfs (villeins, half-villeins, and cottars) work the lord’s lands. On this manor, more serfs than normal are cottars, who work on the lord’s demesne. Called familia, these agricultural workers are paid 1d per day plus a noon meal and ale. Resident craftsmen provide additional services not available within the manor. On either side of the green are tofts (where the villager’s house is built) with a croft behind (for vegetable gardens and animal pens). The village is larger than average and appears prosperous and well run.

Reeve:[1] The reeve is the senior tenant officer of the manor. Normally the villein with the most unfree acres, he supervises the operation of the manor. He presides at the village moot, decides what crops to plant, supervises the formation of the plough teams, and makes sure everyone does their proper share of work. He has a large stone house with a small walled compound surrounding his garden and fruit trees.Priest:[2] An ordained priest tends to the village’s spiritual needs. He lives in a comfortable timber frame house built by the villagers. Acreage known as the glebe is attached to the local church to support the priest. The villagers pay their tithe in coin or kind. The poorest may exchange labour on the glebe in lieu of payment. As one of the most important and educated members of the manor, he also acts as a marriage councillor, financial advisor, tutor, and advocate. In winter, his house is used as a community meeting place, as the church is harder to heat.Church and Village Green:[3] The centre of community life, the church is the second largest building in the village proper. Built of stone, this one room building is sturdy but rather plain. The priest holds regular services on holy days. It also doubles as a community hall for weddings and important community occasions. Each morning, the Reeve doles out work assignments to the assembled members of the village from the church steps. In front of the church are the communal well (the centre of daily gossip) and village green. The green is a common space used by all the villagers. Temporary hurtles (wattle fences) can be erected to pen sheep for shearing or cattle for branding. At other times, the residents use the open space for celebrations and games. Visitors sometimes camp overnight when passing through the village.Blacksmith:[4] The village smith produces all of the metal goods required for village life, including things like nails, tools, horse shoes, and bands for wheels and barrels. He also shoes horses and oxen. A

fixture in the village, he can be found most days hard at work at his anvil. His prime location gives him a good view of everything occurring in the village.Salter:[5] Preservation of food is vital to the survival of the community. The salter preserves food through brine or vinegar, drying, or smoking.Wood Yard:[6] In this village, a father and his three sons pool their expertise in one large manufacturing enterprise. The woodcrafter (the father) is in overall charge of the operation. One son specializes in barrel making (the cooper) and another in wagon building (the wheelwright). The eldest son left the village for several years and earned his master’s rank as a timberwright. He harvests timber for building houses, barns, and sheds and supervises their construction. In practice, the four men work as a team and there is considerable overlap in their activities. A large number of timbers is currently drying in their yard and will be used to renovate the granary.Woodward:[7] The woodward manages the fief ’s woodlands and ensures no one poaches the lord’s game. He also decides which trees will be cut and plants new ones in their place. The woodward on this manor is also a yeoman longbowman.Beadle:[8] The beadle is the village policeman. A trusted yeoman, he enforces the fiefholder’s rules, impounding stray livestock and collecting fines imposed by the manor court. Effective, intimidating, and loyal, he is well thought of by the lord’s steward, less so by the other villagers. Backed up by the woodward and the lord’s men-at-arms, he is an effective blunt instrument.Herder:[9] The herder manages the fief ’s pasture and livestock. Given the large amount of pasture land immediately around the manor house and village, this is a very high profile and important position. He is assisted by his sons, brother, uncle, and cousins. There are a dozen herders, a mix of swineherds, cowherds, and shepherds. They are permitted to carry shortbows to deal with varmints.Mill and Bakehouse:[10] The grist mill is the largest and most impressive stone building in the village. Two millstones grind all of the village and manor demesne grain, with the miller keeping one part in twelve. The third floor of the main building is the well-appointed home of the miller and his family. The second building in the compound is the village bakehouse. The miller’s brother is the baker. His large ovens make enough bread for the whole village. Although residents are not required to bake their bread there, most purchase from him because it is cheaper than making it themselves.

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DEMESNEThe demesne is land that the lord does not farm out

to any tenant. Most lords retain a demesne. The amount depends on the availability of labour, the inclination of the lord, tenant contacts, and other local factors. There are manors with no demesne, where the lord collects rent from everyone, and there are some which are entirely demesne, where the tenants are all slaves, or serfs who hold no land other than their cottage and garden.

Demesne arable maybe divided into selions and scattered throughout the open fields, like that of the tenants, or can be retained as a single parcel near the manor house. However it is organized, the unfree peasants work the demesne as part of their labour obligations.

On this manor, the lord has retained the majority of his fief as demesne. Approximately one quarter of the acreage is devoted to the manor’s woodland. Another quarter is divided between the freehold tenants, villeins, and glebe. The three free farmers, craftsmen, and glebe pay rent. The eight villeins, mainly the tenant officers and their extended families, owe labour. The remaining half of the manor acreage is worked as demesne by cottars hired by the bailiff. This allows the lord great control over his estate and has proven to be very profitable.

OUTER YARDThe centre of demesne agricultural operations is

the outer yard of the manor house. Some of the single male and female familia live in the dormitory above the stables. They are watched over by the bailiff and his wife, who live above the cart house. Each morning, cottars from the village make their way down the lane to the manor for work. From the outer yard, workers fan out across the demesne to undertake the many different tasks necessary for the successful operation of the manor.

Hay Barn:[A] This large building is used to store the animal feed for the winter. Fresh, sweet hay is piled into the building through the summer.Ornamental Herb Garden:[B] A small, walled pleasure garden with flowers and herbs; it is popular with the noble ladies of the household.Slaughter House:[C] Animals are brought in one at a time to be killed, hung, and butchered.Salting House:[D] After the animals have been slaughtered, the meat is brought here to be salted and packed into barrels for storage over the winter.Vegetable Garden:[E] The larger working garden provides fresh vegetables for the manor kitchens.Shearing Shed:[F] Used for shearing the lord’s several flocks of sheep.Bull Shed:[G] The bull is kept separate from the cows except during breeding season.Cow House:[H] The herd of milk cows are milked before they are let out into the pasture in the morning and when they return in the evening. The building includes a buttery and cheese-making room.Dove Cote:[I] This hollow tower is lined with alcoves for doves to nest in. They provide a year-round source of tasty bird flesh for the lord’s table.Oxen Stalls:[J] The docile oxen are sheltered here.Stables:[K] Over the horse stables is the dormitory for the grooms and farm workers.Cart House:[L] Above the storage for the wagons and carriages is the home of the bailiff, who runs the operation of the demesne and outer yard for the lord.Great Stone Barn:[M] This is the centre of industry in the outer yard. Two massive pairs of doors, placed in the projecting porches opposite each other, allow the wind to pass through the building and across the threshing floor. The building is stacked high with sheaves of wheat.Pig Pen:[N] Several large sows and one big boar are kept here at night and led out into the woods during the day by the swineherd.Orchard:[O] The orchard has apple, cherry, peach, and pear trees. There is a series of bee hives throughout the orchard, tended by the beekeeper.Fish Ponds:[P] Weirs have been built across the stream to retain water. Trout are reared in the ponds for consumption in the manor house.


GM MAP FORTIFIED MANOR 15


FORTIFIED MANOR 16 PLAYER MAP

Fortified Manor

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