Final answer:
Medieval houses varied from mead halls for nobility to modest peasant dwellings. Manorial homes for lords, hall and parlor houses, and I-houses were common, while mansions for the wealthy organized around gardens were also notable. Over time, architectural styles evolved to include various regional adaptations.
Step-by-step explanation:
In medieval times, houses reflected the social and economic status of their residents. The most common types of houses included mead halls, also known as long houses, which often housed nobility and the high-ranking members of Viking society. The design of these spacious halls was closely related to their function as political and social centers.
Manorial houses or castles were the residences of lords in feudal Europe, with peasants or serfs inhabiting simpler homes within small villages. Architecturally diverse, these included structures such as hall and parlor houses, I-houses, and mansions, which were mainly one-story buildings arranged often in a U-shape to center around a garden.
The hall and parlor design, a two-room house, has been suggested by archeologists to be the archetype for all European-based folk housing. Alternatively, for the more affluent, mansions with long verandas, minimal furniture, and areas for daily life activities were common. The mansions had main halls as the central living space, with surrounding rooms for family and retainers.
As political power consolidated, more durable structures such as fortresses, bridges, and manors started to appear. Additionally, in areas like New England, architectural styles evolved to include designs like the Temple Front House, Upright and Wing house, and the Salt Box House, reflecting regional adaptations in the United States.