Castle Cooks and their Tools

Today's modern kitchen is filled with so many conveniences that we often take for granted how far society has come in terms of the advancement of culinary arts.

Visit a medieval castle kitchen and you'll understand.  Walk-in ovens with spits, no plumbing, very little lighting and no built-in storage for starters! Counters were non-existent, and if the kitchen had one iron kettle that was enough. 

Scotland's Doune Castle is a 14th century military stronghold in the village of Doune deep in the Stirling countryside. But perhaps the site is more legendary for its prominent role in the classic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  Check out Nick smiling at the window used in one of the more famous movie scenes!

Doune's kitchen is considered one of the most advanced examples of the time period, with both an oven and wide fireplace above a cellar that could have been used for food and drink storage.  The castle cooks - most likely soldiers or kingsmen by day - relied on readily available materials to advance their food preparation.  In this case, the walls themselves served as the perfect whetstones to sharpen knives.

Good advice:  
Never cross the cook!



Doune Castle
Stirling
Postcode: FK16 6EA