What is some information on a medieval castle mess hall?

Answer 1

Castles didn't have "mess halls" but they did have great halls that served for everything. People ate there, sometimes slept there, and had meetings there. On the whole the it was a pretty busy place usually with rushes on the floor. The rushes were removed once a year and by that time they were pretty stinky. When people ate they often threw food on the floor so rotten food, dog waste, and other critters were in the rushes. The great hall would be rather smoky too. Tallow candles were used and they gave off a rancid smell and oily smoke. There was often a fireplace at one end of the hall, but it only warmed the area around it so the other end was usually cold and damp. In older castles the great hall was the main room of the castle and as castles evolved bedrooms were added.