The Historic Technology Needed To Build A Medieval Castle | Secrets Of The Castle 

One of the marks of a good documentary is that you might not be particularly interested in the subject at first, but then you become fascinated. I did not expect to be binge-watching a program about castle construction.

This is one of my favorite documentaries. Ya know, according to my calculations, (25 yr project, started in '97) the castle will be done in 2022, or pretty darn close. I do hope another documentary crew goes back there to see the finished building!

As a Canadian, it always brings a smile to my face to see French and English working together, learning from the past. Great work to all involved!

Ruth says everything like she's letting you in on the most scandalous secret. This whole series is amazing!

This documentary has given me a greater respect and a true understanding of the awe that one should feel when looking at a castle. I live in Germany and I've walked along the ruins of the castles and the towering ceilings of cathedrals. I am now eager to return to those places with a renewed excitement for these marvelous structures.

As a third generation general contractor, truly appreciated the craftsmanship of this project. Not just a castle…but a work of art. Look forward to a follow up documentary. France is a wonderful and beautiful country…this gives me another reason to keep visiting!

Ruth’s daughter, Eve, looks and sounds exactly like Ruth.

The French craftsmen and women are truly incredible. I especially like Clément and Florian. They are always happy! Just thinking how a door has to be planned a year in advance.

This documentary should be mandatory in every school. Reading about a topic is much different than seeing an authentic representation. Parents should also show their children you think they're being ungrateful.. We take all of our modern amenities for granted.

I have a deep respect for the craftsmen on our past. Pure skill and no pain killers.

Ruth steals this series. What a fun loving person she is. She has an infectious personality and sweeps you away with her zest for life. Thanks Ruth.

My grandfather was a craftsman, specialized in cabinet making. Yet, during his apprenticeship period, his master also taught him a variety of related skills such as metal working (for example how to make the metal rim for a cart wheel, how to make nails, bolts and rivets etc...). It seems to me that, in several respects, this middle ages approach to work, in which an individual was expected to possess expertise in many areas and to be to some extent, self-sufficient, was still present in Europe long after the industrial revolution. In a way it's like the middle ages really ended only 50-60 years ago.

Some of the best documentary hosts ever, so fun and engaging.

This is the second time I've watched this series and I've been totally fascinated both times. I hope there's a follow-up series about the final stages and the castle once it's completed. :)

Thank you all who contributed to this remarkable project. Your service is both appreciated and valued.

56:38 Well said. I am so sad to reach the end of the series. Learned a lot, and inspired to learn more. Cheers and thank you.

Ruth's daughter is EXACTLY how I imagined a kid of Ruth would turn out. Love it!

What an amazing project and video documentary. I binge watched these all today, and now I want more.

I got to say this series of videos was really something. I wish there was more

What a totally awesome show. Thx for bringing it to RU-vid. Can't wait for the next season.

i wonder what archeologists in 1000 years may think when they find a plastic hardhat somewhere under the ruins..

It's adorable how Ruth and Eve have the same speech rhythms, and the same way in how they use their hands and face when they speak.

I wish we as a society would be allowed to restore and rebuild ruined castles. It would give us so much more insight into how our ancesters lived all those centuries ago. It would also revive traditional trades like stone masons, black smithing, carpentry to reproduce goods using traditional techniques. Each site could then be turned into education centres, re enactment centres, traditional craft faires. Boosting local economies and helping us to remember how lucky we are and what we have lost.

All done?? Awww...... Very well done, I've learned so much. Thank you for this.

I'm sorry that his has to end.

Absolutely, absolutely fascinating!!!!! For me, the most enjoyable pieces of documentary - the Victorian Farm, the Tudor Monastery and this awe inspiring Secrets of the Castle series - now I must search for others I may have yet to find! Many thanks from across the pond!

Watching these guys do their work makes me appreciate how much physical labor and the tactile experience that went into the most mundane tasks of everyday life back then. These days, we are removed from our labor and the results of it by the trigger of a powertool or the push of a switch on a piece of machinery.

Riveting! I am inspired to continue my neglected plan to create model cottages to full-scale plans!

In principle, having a bonding agent that doesn't go off at the core serves two major purposes or helps along with them. 1. motion is dampened, earthquakes but also the setting of the structure as more weight is added (moving or static) 2. if portions of the outer bonding material are chipped, the inner one is ready to go off. Now, if that was the intention of the creators...who knows, we know their structures survive today and i for one know that brick and mortar structures where the mortar has perished with time are falling to bits.

Ruth is so animated with her expressions, it's great.

Read so much about this era. Now really understand the process. Real industry. Thank you..

Started with the history lesson, stayed for the workers 😊

man. i really want this series to continue. i binged watched it twice.

This documentary was the best I've ever seen. Just when I thought I already knew a lot about medieval history, I once again realised how much I still have to learn. Love the passion that went into making this documentary never mind into building this magnificent castle! I really hope to visit one day!

Woad contains the same dye chemical as indigo, but indigo grows in warmer climates. The ancient inhabitants of Britain are said to have painted themselves blue with woad.

One of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen.

We are just finishing off conservation work on the Conwy castle in Wales, amazing experience

It's also really interesting how useful archaeological research seems to be to modern-day artisans. Seems that rediscovering all these "lost methods", by actually reenacting them, is of real value to modern artisans, like the Florian the mason.

What a fantastic journey this was! Through all the labour and insight, the crew is what really kept me on my seat and watching. Brilliant trio, marvellous project and a new destination for me to visit some time soon.

I went to both Vezelay and Guedelon this summer. It's great to see the connection between them in this documentary. Both are great places to visit.

Wow ...............WOW, what an epic documentary series. Thank you so much for sharing. Congratulations to all involved in this amazing project. I hope they will continue filming as the castle is finished. Brilliant.

Lord, to see a piece of the window that I shaped meld into the work of others' hands and form a classical thing of beauty, I would have wept like a child.

Ruth is so skilful, dexterous and practical. Many attempts to find out how people used to do things in the past are just pathetic, but I'm sure she's got it right.

Makes you rethink the story about Hansel and Gretel and the Gingerbread house. If Ginger was more valuable then gold it would explain why the witch mad enough to put them in the oven.

Absolutely fantastic Documentary. I have such a greater respect for ancient ruins after watching this show. I truelly hope that when the 25 year build is done we can get a recap of the site.

Really happy that I found this channel, and to top it of this series was FANTASTIC.... Hope to one day be able to go to France and visit this castle,, Amazing.

Ruth could make shopping at Tesco intriguing.

Man I remember several years ago I was watching this castle building series and I fell asleep and had the most wonderful nap I've ever had. Good times lmao.

This program is amazing. The amount of work that went into every element of life really made progress very slow. And while it seems romantic to us today I confess I’m grateful for modern technology that greatly reduces time and effort!

This has been so wonderful to watch..... I wish a documentary crew went back every year until complete! Amazing!, Thanks for putting it on RU-vid for all to watch.

This is my fourth time watching this, always interesting each time. What I love most is the passion in the project, it's not simply "let's build a castle", it's the flair and artistic expression as well. The masons adding their artistic designs when doing the chapel windows, alter and archway, the blacksmith talent making and maintaining all the tools and constructing the nails, and the carpentry with the fantastically precise door and gallery, but also the limewashing, the painting, the cookery and the water mill, the fact they're using horses and have horse trainers on sight. It's not just about the castle but what the castle represents as well, the nostalgia about recreating the experience around such an undertaking of building a castle. We humans are at our best when we combine our scientific knowledge with our artistic flair and our desire to explore our past and figure out what brought us to this point, and the fact everyone from multiple nationalities are contributing to this project is amazing.

I have visited castles and cathedrals in several countries, and wondered at the craftsmanship. Having now watched this five-episode documentary, I have a deeper appreciation of craft. Thank you so much for this wonderful rendition.

Such a wonderfully made docuseries. thanks to everyone who made it possible. building and filming this escapade!

Thanks for posting this! I have been unable to find episode 5 anywhere. Excellent series.

This is one of the best series I've ever seen! I have a new perspective and a new appreciation for building castles and all that pertains to it. Thank you so much!

Great series and survival techniques we may need again one day.

This has been one of the most interesting series I've watched in a long time.

I've taken apart a few 19 th century arches, and it was difficult to remove all the brickwork overburden, but easy to excise the stone (softer mortar - thinner joints), I found the little wooden spacers used in construction positioning. very enlightening! Yes, there were makers' marks, but very few matching. That was 30 years ago, and they're all on pallets waiting to be displayed in the St. Louis Museum of Building Arts. I'm elated to find this video series.

As a Freemason, this Timeline really cements my work and craft. As a Celtic vendor it shows how history and traditional values come together to bring products and people to market.

Super cool project. I'm SO glad it was filmed. Thanks for the share !

Will we be seeing Shad of Shadiversity come and take a look? He’s usually the medieval architecture man on RU-vid. Worth the airline ticket.

The subject matter is Fascinating .....the people and show...MAGIC

The chemical reaction to die fabric.... binge watching the show... I love this!

the french are amazing ! what an extraordinary idea....it is true that France is the country with the most castles, because of its very warlike and tormented history. the research that the French have done in their national archives to reacquire these manufacturing methods is just incredible. it's a leap into their past, and they keep it intact.

“How do you build a castle? Well I know now.”- Peter said emotionally. This series was fantastic. I love these three people. They make for a great team and even better teachers. Thank you for sharing another brilliant series. This buy far is my favorite! ❤️, A Dorothy In Kansas, USA

Great series. If only there were more like it

This series was absolutely brilliant! Loved it!!

nooooooooooo! it cant be over!! I really enjoyed this series. I am in construction (cabinet maker/cabinet fitter) and no one has any respect for the "craft" anymore. people want things done "fast and cheap" even in the high end custom homes I work in, they still don't want to allow the appropriate amount of time to just really do something right. It is my biggest daily frustration. People have lost touch with what it means to be a craftsman and have no idea what they are missing because of there deadlines and extreme budgets. Being in construction in the western USA is a joke. I feel like I can relate fully to these stone masons and really just envy the fact that they have free reign to do the work in the time that it actually takes to do the work.

Oh, to be involved in something like Guédelon... it makes my heart ache, as an 18-year-old Minnesotan. I've been absolutely obsessed with everything medieval since my Grandmother first read stories of knights, dragons, and maidens to me as a small boy, and to be so far away from where great things like Guédelon are happening makes me wish things could've been different. I'd leap at the opportunity to be involved in something like that, but here in Minnesota, there's just not much of anything. But... nothing to be done about it. Instead, I must look forward and continue pursuing what I can here... my blacksmithing apprenticeship, and Armored Combat!

Thank you so much for posting these documentaries! I completely marvel at the ingenuity of those early artisans and craftspeople. The ability to solve complex problems with local materials and skill is admirable. I would love to have seen the faces of those who first discovered/developed these processes - especially wode dying. Thanks again!☺️

This would have to be one of the best documentaries on RU-vid. A new found respect for the builders of these fine buildings.

What an amazing documentary and not a single visitor on sight all along ! Great work folks and thanks you for sharing this

Loved every second of this series . Thanks for making it :)

Learned so very much from this series and found it extremely interesting and fun!

them doing manual labor while using modern pencils, boots and eye protection, reminds me of the Baku from Star Trek Insurrection: super advanced civilization, living like it's the middle ages "Oh, we have warp capability.... but why would we want to travel away from *here* ?"

This was a really lovely project. Thank you so much for all your work both to the builders and the documentarians.

I've not binged watched anything in YEARS, so well done for that! Would love to see a follow up episode or 2.

This has been a wonderful series to watch. Bless all the fine craftmanship we have witnessed.

Thanks for posting this amazing series!!

I watched all episodes in one setting. (I did pause it 3 or 4 times). Focusing on the total infrastructure required was genius on their part.

Fascinating! The work, the people, everything.....wish we still did things that way.

if I wasn't looking at them and could see their different faces, I would think Ruth and her daughter were the same person given that they sound identical

That’s so cool, and I feel amazed at what a team effort it took now and then. I build modern houses. I feel humbled. 🤔

that's one of best documentary series I have ever seen

Thank you for this fantastic documentary. I watched it start to finish, it kept me entertained and immersed me in the life of a medieval person the whole way.

Fascinating series. Lovely to see Ruths daughter has picked up her passion ❤️

I am entranced and in awe after finding all these series done by Ruth and Peter as well as the teams they work with on various projects. Absolutely one of the best that I have found binge worthy. Check out the other period episodes. They bring you right into 1940's WW2 Britian. Please don't make Ruth do anymore authentic laundry episodes. That was really cruel. ;)

Fantastic series. I hope to see more like it. Thanks so much. ^-^

Omg...I love this concept... needs to be a show on tv!

The biggest archaeological building site experiment would be to recreate monolithic structures with bronze chisels tho. :D Enjoyed watching this :)

I was raised on a farm that was behind the times 70 years ago. I'm amazed at how much I knew of the different things they were doing. There were times I could write the next sentence in the script. It was mostly The woodworking, smithing, rock splitting, cooking, dyeing, and paint making Etc. We still used whitewash. Our barn was all mortise and tenon pegged together.

This is one of the very best documentaries that i have watched. I sincerely enjoyed watching and learning the roads of learning the trades and crafts of yesterday. Long forgotten and erringly assumed by the unlearned. I look forward to seeing other documentaries like this one.

I really enjoyed this series. The raw skill and dedication of the people involved in the project is truly inspiring. And it will be standing as a testament to them for centuries to come. Few people can say they have left that kind of a mark on the world.

One of the best documentary ive seen in along time well worth aveiw youll Feel part of the build that you would never want to come Away from .

Absolutely amazing series. Thank you!

This has been a great watch. I absolutely love the way the chapel window looks just beautiful. I would love to see the crew return to the castle after it's completed for a proper walkthrough.

This is such a fantastic series. Great stuff, and I hope they go back to see the final product in a few years.

Loved the whole series and oh boy, that window so much work, but the effect - stunning.

Absolutely magnificent, the time and effort a labor of love and it shows in the very fine details and old world craftsman ship. I hope they teach and make it a working community and have people stay and donate would be really cool.

What a irony, a mid evil castle under construction with jet contrails in the sky! Wonderful documentary. Bravo!