Keeping Warm in Winter

Keeping warm in winter has always been important. In this vlog, Jason thinks about the hard work that medieval people must have had to do to keep their fires burning and homes warm.

[thomasvertommen]

Just ask people who work in construction, or work outdoors in general. When it's -6°C, you do your best to wear layer upon layer upon layer of warm clothing; gloves, multiple thick socks, ... but in the end you're still going to be cold. My personal worst in this case was -13°C in winter, working on an installation underneath an open dockshelter at a hospital... Luckily the humidity wasn't too bad. But still... not a great time. I can attest, you're suddenly *very* appreciative of the van/lorry's central heating :D

[AnikaBren]

Something I had never thought about came up in a novel I was reading. It was about people on the plains before electricity, living through winter where it can get -20 or below. The thing I had never thought about was if you need to go out and get wood or do another chore you need to move cautiously and slowly because breaking even a light sweat could kill you as it would freeze as you slowed down.

[jordanslater-cuthbertson]

It's the little details that make this channel so interesting.

[crookedpaths]

Close the door, put out the light
No, they won't be home tonight
The snow falls hard and don't you know?
The winds of Thor are blowing cold
They're wearing steel that's bright and true
They carry news that must get through, oh
They choose the path where no-one goes
They hold no quarter
They hold no quarter, oh....

[JS-oboh]

Winter times are often associated with time of hunger and death in many of the ancient people living in the more northern or higher elevation because it was a time when the very old and very young often succumb to the bitter cold and hunger.

[bunniesbunniesbunnie]

I know this is such an old video, but still. I lived in Washington State and rented a home from someone who did not take particularly impressive care of it. In the middle of November, the heater caught fire. It took a month to replace. My only option was a poorly installed, not up to code wood-burning oven. That was four years ago, so I suppose I survived it, but it definitely gave me a new appreciation for having to winter and having to stay warm through fire means. I still love winter the most of all four seasons, but I spent a lot of nights with the dogs in the bed and all of us under the covers for that month, too.

[OceanSwimmer]

Please tell us more about how people kept warm (warm clothing, what it was made of, how it was worn) during the coldest days and nights of the year, including in the snow.
Farmers still had chores to do, feeding stock animals, etc.
What about the poorest of the peasants? How did they manage?
Thank you --- great series!

[cmhughes]

This was one of the main reason so many layers were worn, to keep one warm and in the summer cool.

[sherrycq]

Man, making a fire is no joke. I bought two emergency survival kits with magnesium fire-starters, and breaking in the fire-starters to get their protective coating off took me a good 15-20 minutes EACH just to light up some cotton balls in a nice, dry summer with no wind. I should probably start practicing more now that we're in quarantine, but reading about ancient fire-making methods that were even MORE labor-intensive? No wonder so many cultures just wouldn't let the hearth fires go out.

[robintst]

Your horse's name is Warlord? That's pretty Metal.

[zoiders]

Going to sleep for 8 hours is very much a modern invention, in winter in medieval England people went to bed when it got dark and would sleep for 3 or 4 hours, awake in the night for a few hours to eat, pray, stoke the fire, maybe have some carnal knowledge of their spouse, and then go back to bed again until dawn came. We live by a synthetic body clock these days because of electricity and artifical light.

[Cherubim]

I know personally what it's like. I have to cut wood for my winter heat otherwise there would be no hot water or cooking. It's very hard work too. I can identify with it perfectly.

[immortalsofar]

Imagine the stores have a huge blowout sale in September while stocks last and then close until April. Everywhere.

[johnotm]

Imagine in regions with much more extreme climates. Must be where the pickled cabbage, dried fish and furry hats come in.

[thel]

I still heat my house almost exclusively with a fire. Going to split some more firewood tomorrow.

[Sean-qoyu]

“Agro!” - Wander, Shadow of the Colossus

[MyRockMyFortress]

One thing I like about our modern society is that it’s so much easier to stay warm. I hate cold weather. I warm up my car in the winter time for 5 to 10 minutes just to drive to my church that’s 3 minutes away 😂

[elizabethmcglothlin]

They had different standards. First safety--whether hovel or castle. Second and third were probably safety, too. Out of of the rain and snow, mostly out of the wind. Then warmth in at least a few places. Life is good...or at least possible.

[jamesmurray]

Interesting, what about being out on patrol in the snow or sleet in full armor, you might have some padding underneath but the 15kg of steel you're wearing is going to freeze. Worse maybe in the desert, how did the franks manage on crusade, no camelbaks, no clean water, layered in wool linen and steel?

[swatson]

We hunt to have something to eat. Wild game is very good food.