Great Hall from the Minstrel's Gallery, the Keep Dean Castle

Great Halls are normally seen today solely as rooms for feasting, in reality they were the main room in many castles and were used for most activities. Most castle inhabitants and guests would even sleep here on the rushes which were spread across the floor. During a feast there would be a huge (possibly 2) table(s) running down the centre of the room, with another smaller one raised on a dias, positioned so that the Lord & Lady and any special guests would have their backs to the fire. The most important guest would be made 'Lord of the Feast'. During their meal guests would be entertained by minstrels. Many of these rooms would also at one time have been painted or whitewashed and hung with rich tapestries.