During much of the middle ages, slightly better off people living in the countryside often lived in what historians now refer to as "fortified houses". I personally find this style of housing just about perfect for Minecraft survival, since it provides a perfect blend of style and protection. I've spent a lot of time working on making builds that have some sort of historical theme to them, but at the same time are sized and equipped accordingly for the game. In short, they are Minecraft interpretations of historically based structures (hopefully, at least that's what I'm attempting). Many of these structures are currently categorized with terms like "Pele Tower","Tower House","Bastle House","Block House" and so forth...

So, with that said, here is my attempt at a "Bastle House". Basically, a two-story fortified farmhouse, with the front door on the second floor, a stone barn on the ground floor with living quarters above. What I've constructed here are two variations: one is entirely of mixed stone, a little more realistic probably, with a little extra space in the rafters on the second floor for storage. The front door a accessed via an elevated stone staircase with a two-trapdoor gimmick that blocks MOBS from approaching the entrance (this simulates the real-life use of boards that would be removed and taken inside at night).

The second variation is a half-timbered Bastle House. It has a little more style to it. It also has the advantage of a proper attic, making it effectively a 3-Story house. The front door is accessible only via ladder. Both structures have a trapdoor to get into the living area from the stable (many such houses had the real thing, so that a farmer who spotted danger on the horizon could quickly hustle his animals inside, bar the door and climb up a hidden ladder to safety).

The windows on the ground floors are just air holes. On the second floors they are primarily loop holes or "arrow slits". Not all Bastle Houses would be build like these two, but I think they are indicative of the style in a Minecraft context. They are "Steve Sized" and fit in relatively well next to a village, and they have places to sleep, cook food, store loot, and tie up your horses. Voila!

As with any other contributor here on PMC, if you use my build for anything you put out to the public, just credit my for my work. Otherwise, take whatever elements or inspiration from what I do and make it your own. I owe it to make other great Minecrafters for their work and inspiration: folks like Prismmo, Shimoto, JC Helland, Trydar, BlueNerd, and TheAnnihilator2 just to name a few. Thanks to all.