Rushes Used On Floors

Mere grass will not do.

Rushes used on floors. Old straw was not simply left down when fresh straw was added. The step omitted is that the rushes once gathered were made into mats. Herbs would be sprinkled throughout the rushes and mats to keep stench away. Wooden floors were still a norm of course but brick flagstone or tile were being used.

The tradition dates back to the time when most buildings had earthen floors and rushes were used as a form of renewable floor covering for cleanliness and insulation. The earthen floor would be covered with rushes. On wood or stone floors reeds or rushes were sometimes supplemented with aromatic herbs like lavender and the entire floor would usually be swept clean and strewn with fresh straw and herbs on a regular basis. These reed like plants were inexpensive and plentiful and when mixed with fresh herbs were a good way to cover dirt while sweetening the air.

I know that i often point to the secrets of the castle for examples but the archaeologists demonstrate the practicalities of medieval life so well. Short fragile grass cannot be made into mats. River rushes are always specified. It makes for an attractive pleasantly scented floor covering.

Fresh sweet flag plants incorrectly termed rushes were periodically spread on medieval castle floors as a floor covering. As people got smellier the use of fragrant herbs became more popular. The festival was widespread in britain from the middle ages and well established by the time of shakespeare 1 but had fallen into decline by the beginning of the 19th century as church floors were flagged with stone. Rushes provided good insulation and could help to keep the floor clean.

Kitchen floors no longer needed spill absorbing rushes on them because flooring had changed. Then the rush mats still called rushes were put on the floor and herbs sprinkled over them. Aside from the coverings on tatami mats rushes for floors can also be purchased as medieval or apple matting. In a place and time when more decorative textiles would be significant monetary investments woven rush matting would provide important protection for the floors.

By the 1500 s loose rushes on floors in all but the poorest of homes had given way to woven rush mats found on floors in even the finest homes. They were used in all areas of the house including kitchens dining halls and bedrooms.