Room 07 / Parlour

This was the only room that could be heated, by means of a tiled stove; for this reason it was used as the representative living-room of the tenant's family. Here the family members ate, slept and worked. Later the school-room and the teacher's living room was situated here.

Room 08 / Ante-Room

The panels give information on mediaeval economy: mediaeval coinage (Regensburg and Amberg pennies), the feudal system and agriculture.

The feudal system made the king the apex of a hierarchy of lords and vassals, and landlords and tenants. The lord-vassal relation ship was personal (allegiance), and involved military service and various duties in return for landholding (i.e. a fief or feudal tenure). The tenants-in-chief held their lands directly from the king and swore to assist him with contingents of knights. These knights rendered military assistance to the tenants-in-chief in return for lands. The German kings tried to reduce the influence of the higher nobility. They had reliable men from their own estates educated to take over duties as administrative or court officials, later as warriors, too. Within a few generations these estate officials ('Ministerialen') rose from serf to lower nobility, kept the estate as fief and owned a castle as was the case with hereditary nobility.

Especially noteworthy are a display of foodstuffs typical of the Middle Ages, and the Gothic doorway of this room and its square window niches, both dating from the 15th century.

Room 09 / Kitchen

The kitchen was built in here in the 17th century possibly because of its ancient tiled floor. Its original location is unknown.

Cooking was done in a huge open fireplace. Mechanical spits (as that to be seen) came into use in the 16th century. Further items on display: a cupboard made of pinewood (mid-17th century), a case containing crockery, a holder for a chip of pinewood, a primitive means of lighting rooms, and two waffle-irons.

A main task of mediaeval housekeeping was also preserving various kinds of food for the winter.

Room 10 / Garderobe (Latrine)

The latrine shaft is leading down into the open, i.e. the outer wall. This latrine could have had another function: in case of conquest and if it was the last refuge it could be defended by only one warrior in the corridor while the rest of the inhabitants tried to escape by abseiling through the window. On the other hand it was not unknown for a castle to be taken by soldiers intrepid enough to climb the shaft and risk the consequences.