EPISODE · Sep 12, 2026 · 16 MIN

The Oubliette Myth: Did Medieval Castles Really Have Secret Pits?

from The Proper British History Podcast: Kings, Queens, Wars, Empire, Politics, Revolutions, Royalty and the Historical Great Britain · host Podily

Do medieval castles truly hide secret pits where prisoners were forgotten? Archaeology and contemporary records suggest most “dungeons” were ordinary stone chambers, while the dramatic oubliette was rare and often a later invention. In this episode we separate myth from material evidence and examine how popular culture reshaped our image of castle prisons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 12, 2026

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

Ready to play

The Oubliette Myth: Did Medieval Castles Really Have Secret Pits?

0:00 16:50

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Proper British History Podcast: Kings, Queens, Wars, Empire, Politics, Revolutions, Royalty and the Historical Great Britain?

This episode is 16 minutes long.

When was this The Proper British History Podcast: Kings, Queens, Wars, Empire, Politics, Revolutions, Royalty and the Historical Great Britain episode published?

This episode was published on September 12, 2026.

Can I download this The Proper British History Podcast: Kings, Queens, Wars, Empire, Politics, Revolutions, Royalty and the Historical Great Britain episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!