One thing I've learned from my time participating in Medieval/Renaissance re-enactments... medieval/renaisscance life SUCKED! Try going a few days/weeks without modcons... you'll be begging for a comfy bed, shower, pizza and a Coke real soon! (thankfully we were allowed to use modern toilets (and girls were allowed to use modern feminine hygiene products)). Makes you appreciate simple things like electric lights. Man... fire (incl. candles, lamps etc) really suck as sources of light compared to even the most basic electric torch!