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Medieval Building and Garden Elements

MEDIEVAL STYLE

The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.

Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.

Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.

By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.

Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.

Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Medieval
Blacksmith Made Iron Game Hanger, Kitchen Utensil or Pot Hanger
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Blacksmith made iron game hanger, kitchen utensil or pot hanger. A great piece with lots of Character, it is a large rectangular piece it is set wi...
Category

1920s Vintage Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

German Armorial Oval Stained Glass Window Hanging
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A 19th century antique German armorial oval stained glass window hanging. This small oval stained glass panel depicts a family crest, the coat of arms consisting of a black shield m...
Category

Mid-19th Century German Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Lead

Antique 19th Century Cast Iron Gothic Manner Fire Basket Grate
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A petite French antique early 19th century cast iron fire basket in the Gothic manner, a shaped back with original steel heat plate, linked circles to the front instead of fire bars....
Category

1840s French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

Large, heavy French Gothic Andirons or Firedogs, 17th Century
Located in Amerongen, Amerongen
17th century French Gothic andirons made of cast iron. The andirons have spit hooks to grill food and cups to warm drinks. In France this type of very old andirons are called 'landie...
Category

17th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

Rare 15th Century English Studded Door
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A rare and striking 15th century English studded door. At over 420 years old, this unique and impressive door offers a glimpse into historic England. Thick and sturdy, it features...
Category

15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wood, Oak

Large Medieval carved frieze - France, 14th-15th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Gothic Limestone frieze decorated with curly foliage North of France, 14th-15th century 59,8 x 15,6x 22 cm This French Gothic limestone frieze, adorned with curling foliage, stands ...
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Limestone

Antique Medieval 16th Century Wrought Iron Door Knocker with Scrollwork
Located in Doha, QA
An exceptional and rare 16th century wrought iron door knocker, masterfully hand-forged in the early Renaissance tradition. This striking piece of architectural ironwork is distingui...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Byzantine Style Marble Baptismal Font on Later Stand
Located in Essex, MA
Byzantine style carved marble Baptismal font on later cast stone stand. Four lion leads Circumnavigate the font. Foliate and Byzantine Carving Th...
Category

19th Century Unknown Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Marble

19th Century French Gothic Style Andirons or Firedogs
Located in Amerongen, Amerongen
19th century French Gothic style andirons. The tops of the andirons consist of bull heads which is characteristic for this type of andirons. In France these andirons are called 'land...
Category

19th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

17th-18th Century French Fire Grate, Fireplace Grate
Located in Amerongen, Amerongen
17th-18th century French Gothic fireplace basket - fire basket made of wrought iron. The basket is in a good condition and is fully functional.
Category

Early 18th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Arts & Crafts Gothic Cast Iron Spiral Scrollwork Fireplace Andirons - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Arts & Crafts Gothic Cast Iron Spiral Scrollwork Fireplace Andirons - a Pair. Item features swing out arm/pot holders, ornate scrolling frame, spiral form body, cast iron constructio...
Category

19th Century Unknown Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

A Heavy Black Wrought Iron Blacksmith made Fireplace Club Fender Brutalist Form
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A heavy form wrought iron club fender with tan leather padded seats. An incredible individual handmade piece, probably a commission piece or an estate made piece. The piece is made ...
Category

Early 20th Century European Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Gothic Church Windows 23" x 23"
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Gothic style church windows with dedications. Gorgeous stained glass coloring and designs with dedication marker on each. The windows are housed in an iron frame with clear g...
Category

Early 20th Century Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stained Glass

Large Antique Ornate Solid Brass Fireplace Fender Towel Rack c1900s Stunning
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Large Antique Ornate Solid Brass Fireplace Fender Towel Rack c1900s Stunning. Towel Rack is: 3x40x8"h
Category

20th Century American Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Architectural Stone Fireplace
Located in London, GB
An architectural French stone fireplace. The panelled frieze with shaped, panelled jambs below. A rustic stone with nice, aged patina. French, late 18th-early 19th century. Shelf W...
Category

Late 18th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

A Victorian Gothic Style Exterior Door
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
An Arched Gothic style door, salvaged from a Church in Shrewsbury. Total Height 252 cm (99.21 in) Height to shoulder: 153 cm (60.23 in)
Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wood, Pine

Antique Carved English Oak Fireplace
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Though this antique carved English oak fireplace dates from the late 19th century, it draws inspiration from eras across the ages. It is elaborately carved throughout and handcrafted...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wood, Hardwood, Oak

Rare 14th Century Limestone Pinnacle from Beverley Minster
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A rare weathered late 13th / early 14th century limestone pinnacle reclaimed from the East End of the south retro choir roof of Beverley Minster, Yorkshire, one of two we have for sa...
Category

15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone, Limestone

Medieval 13th Century Carved Stone Gargoyle
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A medieval carved stone gargoyle from the private collection of a country house in Oxfordshire, originally purchased from Crowther of Syon Lodge in 1985. Dating from the 13th-14th c...
Category

15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

Rare Gothic Castle Limestone Chimney Mantle Chateau Fireplace Hand Carved Stone
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rare Gothic Castle Limestone Chimney Mantle Chateau Fireplace Hand Carved Stone . A real museum / Chateau mantel fireplace piece. Perfect for a Rustic ...
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone, Limestone

17th c. Square Gothic Fire Grate
Located in Haarlem, Noord-Holland
Wrought iron Gothic fire grate, gorgeous patina.
Category

18th Century and Earlier Dutch Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

Pair of Antique Stained Glass Panels of Medieval Soldiers
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A pair antique stained glass panels of medieval soldiers. Dating to circa 1780, these stained glass panels have stood the test of time; each one showcases precision, detail and good ...
Category

Late 18th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Lead

Rare 16th Century Architectural Stone Capital from France
Located in Dallas, TX
This rare fragment was salvaged from an entryway on a building in Fontvieille, near the city ancient Arles, France. There is a worn and carved center cartouche depicting a very small...
Category

16th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

Large Gothic Style Red Stained Glass Roundel ø140cm
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A very large and impressive gothic style red stained glass roundel by Sax Shaw, third-generation family business of well-known stained glass artist, Sax Roland Shaw (1916-2000). Bea...
Category

Late 20th Century Scottish Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Cut Steel, Lead

Large Stripped Pine Altar Niche from Northern France, 20th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
More information coming soon… Hand-carved in northern France during the 1900s, this large pine altar niche has a nook large enough to fit a 6 3/4 foot tall work of art. The wood ha...
Category

20th Century French Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wood, Pine

English 19th Century Stone Fireplace Mantel
Located in London, GB
An early to mid 19th century Gothic style English limestone fireplace. Unusual in design, very well proportioned and a substantial piece. The castellated shelf which steps down to sit on a plain frieze with carved ends to meet the roundels carved at the top of the jambs, which are inverted with interior panels with outer mouldings. Areas of this surround with natural fossil and patterning adding to its charm. A superior quality Gothic surround...
Category

1830s English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

Pair of Wrought Iron Andirons with Double Bars, French, 19th Century
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This pair of Gothic wrought Iron andirons has iron shells used as a bar holders. They are French, 19th century.
Category

1880s French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Set of 9 Reclaimed Minton & Co Gothic Encaustic Tiles
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A set of nine vibrant reclaimed gothic encaustic tiles by Minton & Co (stamped), circa 1840- 1860. Each 6-inch tile is detailed with buff and red terracotta tones to create an ornate...
Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Clay

Gothic Style Free Standing Tall Fire Basket, Grate for Inglenook
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Gothic style free standing tall fire basket, Grate for Inglenook This is a Quirky and decorative piece, it is blacksmith made with 2 large Ornamental Dragon’s Heads at each side,...
Category

Early 20th Century Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

15th Century Stone Sculpture, Bust of a Wooman
Located in BARSAC, FR
Sculpture In limestone from the 15th century representing a wooman probably a saint. The face is round and serene, the hair long and the fore...
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

Antique Gothic Arts & Crafts Renaissance Cast Metal Fireplace Andirons - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Gothic Arts & Crafts Renaissance Cast Metal Fireplace Andirons - a Pair. Circa Early 20th Century. Measurements: 18" H x10" W x 19" D.
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Metal

1890 Arched Wooden Gothic Church Window Frame
Located in Surrey, BC
Wooden arched church window retaining old white paint with great balanced details. Salvaged from an old church in Montreal.
Category

Late 19th Century Canadian Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Softwood

Antique Relief Tile Panel in the Style of J. Parentani, 1890
Located in Rijssen, NL
Stunning Art Nouveau/ Arts & Crafts tile panel from the superb firm, Craven Dunnill, & Co., Ltd, Jackfield Salop, England, circa 1905, in a bright celadon. This quantity original jug...
Category

1890s French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Earthenware, Pottery

Small Antique Stained Glass Window of a Nobleman
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A small and well-captured antique stained glass window panel depicting a nobleman with blonde hair and bushy beard, dressed in red and wearing a cap. Though this piece dates from the...
Category

Early 20th Century English Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Lead

Italy 14th Century Medieval Black Wrought Cast Iron Tripode Pedestal
Located in Brescia, IT
This piece of antique Italian wrought cast iron pedestal is made with an high level of quality in consideration of the age of the realization. From a...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Rare Gothic Castle Limestone Chimney Mantle Chateau Fireplace Hand Carved Stone
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rare Gothic Castle Limestone Chimney Mantle Chateau Fireplace Hand Carved Stone . A real museum / Chateau Manor mantel fireplace piece. Perfect for a R...
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone, Limestone

The Holkham Hall Stained Glass Window
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A very large and impressive antique medieval style stained glass window removed from Holkham Hall, Norfolk. This beautifully preserved piece of English history was recently discovere...
Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Lead

Large Gothic Lion’s Mask Iron Door Knocker This is a superb door knocker
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large Gothic Lion’s Mask Iron Door Knocker This is a superb door knocker, the handsome Lion’s Head is at the centre and the heavy outer ring lifts and lands on the striking plate...
Category

Mid-20th Century Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

Solid Brass French Architectural Element or Planter Jardinières
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Acquired in Paris France, an architectural element that is solid brass. The piece is very detailed and architectural. A wonderful paperweight or decorative object standing alone... also could hold office supplies...
Category

20th Century French Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Brass

Set of 2 medieval style architectural sculpted columns, Netherlands 1950s
Located in ECHT, NL
Set of two sculpted architectural columns. They are made from some kind of cast stone or plaster. They were probably meant as fireplace columns s...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Plaster

Antique Medieval Style Wrought Iron Fire Basket
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
An antique medieval style round wrought iron freestanding fire basket with supporting firedogs. At over 130 years old, this fire grate has certainly stood the test of time. With a...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron

European Religious Bronze Sculpture Fragment on 19th Century Marble Pedestal
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Religious Bronze Fragment Sculpture on a 19th Century Column Marble Pedestal. These two object have been "married" later, meaning they were two separate items put together at a later...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Gothic Style Free Standing Fire Basket with Decorative Back and Ash Pan
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Gothic Style Free Standing Fire Basket with Decorative Back and Ash Pan This is a useful and decorative piece, it has an arched fire back decorated with a fighting scene, the body o...
Category

1920s Vintage Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

19th Century English Gothic Stone Fireplace Mantel
Located in London, GB
An antique English limestone fireplace from the 19th century in the Gothic manner. The columns supporting large carved brackets, in turn supportin...
Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

Arts and Crafts Folding Fire Guard, Spark Screen
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Arts and Crafts Folding Fire Guard, Spark Screen The Fire guard is a stylish good quality piece with a “fleurs des lys decoration” at the centre It has the added advantage that it ...
Category

1920s Vintage Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

Large 17th Century French Gothic Andirons or Firedogs
Located in Amerongen, Amerongen
Large 17th century French Gothic andirons made of wrought iron. The tops of the andirons consist of bull heads, which is characteri...
Category

17th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Pair of Forged Wrought Iron Andirons, Gothic Style, French, 18th Century
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This pair of forged andirons were made in France in 18th century, in the gothic style. They have a very nice color of time. The decoration on the bottom with the star is very fine an...
Category

18th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Antique Victorian English Medieval Styled Solid Bronze Architectural Sundial
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Presumably having English origins, this antique solid bronze sundial is ornately cast with a series of Medieval figures across the top portion and standing in the facade of an arched...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Bronze

19th Century French Iron & Enamel Planter
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th Century French Iron & Enamel Planter having gargoyle figures as legs with a total of 20 enameled tiles depicting flowers, Dimensions Height: 13.5" Width: 30" Depth: 14 3/4"
Category

19th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

Rare Romanesque Capital Depicting Four Africans, Apulia, 13th Century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Large stone capital carved on each side in strong relief. The basket is covered with two crowns of vertical acanthus leaves which sprout from the astragal and fill the space between ...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

Antique Medieval Style Wrought Iron Gate Guard
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
An antique early 18th century wrought iron gate guard. Believed to originate from a Scottish castle, this large unusual gate guard’s striking spikes give a menacing, medieval look, w...
Category

Mid-18th Century Scottish Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron

1940s Vintage Antelope Wrought Iron Fireplace Tools Style of Edouard Schenck
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Vintage Wrought Iron Fireplace Tools set with Stylized Antelope Edouard Schenck Style Crafted with elegance and functionality, ...
Category

1940s French Vintage Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Pair of Wrought Iron Andirons, French, 18th Century
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This nice pair of andiron is made of wrought Iron. This is a French work. Circa 18th Century.
Category

1780s French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Wrought Iron

Period Gothic Oak Trunk or Chest Façade from Picardie France, circa 1550
Located in Dallas, TX
Often when centuries-old trunks did not survive the passage of time, 19th-century menuisiers (French woodworkers) would salvage the surviving wood and carve new furniture such as desks and similar trunks. The facade was typically the most ornate section of these antique trunks, making intact frontages highly valued antiques. Hand-carved from oak in Picardie, France, circa 1550, this period Gothic architectural is a beautiful example of an antique trunk facade that was not incorporated into a more recent furnishing. Picardie is a former administrative region in northern France that is home to many Gothic cathedrals. The Amiens Cathedral (mid-13th century) is the largest standing cathedral in Europe and is truly a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Our trunk frontage has five vertically oriented inset panels embellished with various forms of Gothic tracery, including high-arching niches...
Category

16th Century French Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Metal, Iron

Heavy Bronze Bell, Tower Bell This Is a Very Heavy Piece It Is on an Oak Yoke
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Heavy Bronze Bell, Tower Bell This is a very heavy piece it is on an Oak Yoke with iron fixings including a the bracket which holds the rope For the purpose of the pictures and ...
Category

1840s Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Bronze

French Gothic Wrought Iron Manor House Fire Surround
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
French Gothic Wrought Iron Manor House Fire Surround The stand is very large and heavy, it dates from the early 19th century and comes from a Brittany Manor House This is a very u...
Category

19th Century Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Iron

Austin & Seeley Antique Armillary Sundial
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
An impressive antique sundial pairing a mid 19th century gothic style stone pedestal by Austin and Seeley (unsigned) circa 1840, with a 20th century s...
Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone, Composition, Metal, Steel

Beverley Minster Rare 14th Century Limestone Column Capital
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A rare late 13th / early 14th century limestone column capital reclaimed from Beverley Minster, Yorkshire. Dating to circa 1300, this limestone capital originates from the medieval p...
Category

15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone, Limestone

English Stone Fireplace Mantel in the Gothic Style
Located in London, GB
An English stone fireplace in the Gothic style. The frieze with moulding detail to ends surmounted by imposing shelf, early 20th century, possibly earlier. Measures: Shelf Width: 1...
Category

Early 20th Century English Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Stone

Leathermaché Putti, Architectural Decorations
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Leathermaché Putti, architectural decorations These very rare pieces are made in Leathermaché, two of them are characters in the forms of Putti or ...
Category

16th Century Great Britain (UK) Antique Medieval Building and Garden Elements

Materials

Leather

Medieval building and garden elements for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Medieval building and garden elements for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage building and garden elements created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include building and garden elements, decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, iron and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Medieval building and garden elements made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original building and garden elements, popular names associated with this style include Arthur Umanoff, Maitland Smith, P.&F. Corbin Company, and Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co.. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for building and garden elements differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $180 and tops out at $275,000 while the average work can sell for $1,522.

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