Cosy Charm Of Medieval Box Beds
Medieval box beds were built into furniture and were extremely popular 600 years ago or so.
For centuries, people crawled into these cosy wooden dens each night, likely taking care not to bump their elbows, and shut themselves in for a restful sleep.
A box bed is a type of bed designed to resemble a cupboard, sometimes half-opened, that could reportedly sleep up to five people.
This style of bed originates from late medieval furniture in Western Europe.
The box bed is fully enclosed by wooden panels on all sides - access is provided by moving curtains, opening a hinged door, or sliding doors on one or two tracks.
To protect against moisture from dirt floors, the bed is elevated on short legs.
In front of the box bed, there is often a large oaken chest that matches the bed's length.
This chest serves as the "seat of honour" and doubles as a step for climbing into the bed. Additionally, it is used for storing clothing, underwear, and bedding.
In single-room homes, the box bed provided privacy and much needed warmth during winter.
In a time when central heating and comfortable mattresses were non-existent, these beds offered a practical solution during harsh winters.
The enclosed design trapped the sleeper's body heat, creating a cocoon of comfort.
To further insulate against the cold, box beds often had woollen curtains that could be drawn at night.
This not only added to the warmth, but also offered a touch of luxury and privacy.
It remained the main piece of furniture in rural houses in Britain until the 20th century.
Often intricately carved and decorated, it was a source of pride for its owners.
Some box beds were constructed in a double-decker, two-story design, with the upper section typically reserved for younger family members.
These beds were typically 1.60 to 1.70 meters in length, accommodating the smaller stature of the local population - people slept in a semi-sitting position, supported by three or four pillows.
However, it was also common to share a box bed with family members or co-workers.
In the 1825 melodrama The Factory Lad, workers slept in stacked box beds, with two or three people in each. Some of these beds had ventilation holes, but overcrowding could be dangerous.
One story from 13th-century France tells of a woman hiding three secret guests inside a bed, who tragically suffocate in its stuffy interior.
These usuals beds also served to protect occupants from domestic animals like pigs and hens that lived inside the house.
In Breton culture, they were believed to offer protection against wolves as well.
As box beds fell out of fashion in the 19th and 20th centuries due to their high cost, many were either preserved in museums or repurposed into bookshelves, dressers, or TV cabinets.
In the 21st century, some rental companies offer stays in authentic box beds.
Did people in Medieval England sleep sitting up?
It was almost impossible to sleep flat in a box bed, so instead, it’s said that people use to sleep upright.
It was the tradition of the Middle Ages not to sleep lying down, because that is the position of the dead, however, there were many other factors to why people sleep upright too.
For many in medieval England, the choice to sleep upright was not a matter of preference but of necessity.
Homes were often crowded and lacking in space, especially in urban areas where living quarters were cramped.
In such conditions, finding room for a traditional horizontal bed was a luxury few could afford.
Additionally, the medieval understanding of health and wellness played a role.
Some believed that sleeping in an upright position could aid digestion, prevent illnesses, and even reduce the risk of bed bugs and other pests.
While these notions may seem quaint by modern standards, they were taken seriously in a time when medical knowledge was far less advanced.
Over time, as living conditions improved and societal norms shifted, the practice of sleeping upright gradually fell out of favour.
With the rise of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, new ideas about health, hygiene, and comfort began to emerge.
Horizontal sleeping became increasingly common, and innovations in furniture design made it more accessible to people across different social strata.
Reacting to the box beds on social media, someone said: “My wife snores loudly enough without one of those to amplify it!”
Another person added: “This is something we might all want to consider when we are trying to keep the heating bills down.”
What do you think, would you spend a night in one?
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