Castles

A medieval castle had two purposes: it was both a fortification and the home of a lord. The first castles were just earthwork enclosures.

Later earth mounds and timber towers were built forming a type of castle called a motte and bailey.

However the timber constructions were vulnerable to fire so shell keeps were built to protect the wooden structure within a stone wall or shell.

During the time when the motte and baileys were being built, powerful noblemen were constructing the Norman great towers.

There was no tactical reason for building them so high. The great tower in all its forms became a symbol of power and nobility.

The curtained wall was one of the castle’s most important defensive feature. At first, it was just a wall with a crenelated parapet but over time the defences were developed and more towers were added.

Fighting platforms were built, first from timber and later stone. At the same time, gateways evolved from simple openings within towers to twin towered gateways, keeps in their own right.

And castles built with an outer wall around the curtain wall were known as concentric castles. Inside domestic life often centred around the Great Hall where the wealthy could entertain guests with lavish feasts.

In the case of fortified manor houses, battlements were more for show than defence.

Medieval castles were considered so prestigious that the style was revived by rich men who wanted to appear as powerful as the noblemen of the middle ages.

A castle is a building made to keep the people living inside it safe from attack.

Choosing the right place to build a castle can make it easier to defend.

Steep cliffs could become part of the castle wall.

Caves could be used as the castle’s dungeon.

High rocks could become a lookout to spot an enemy coming.

What people used to build their castles was important too.

A wooden castle could be built in just a few months - handy if it was needed in a hurry. But they could be attacked and smashed with battering rams or even set on fire.

Big stone castles took years to build and were very expensive. But stone walls stood up to attacks much better than wood.

Some attackers would dig tunnels up to the castle and then dig away the foundations to make the walls fall down.

That was much more difficult if the castle had a deep ditch called a moat around it. Especially if the moat was full of water.

A castle with a moat could also have a drawbridge. This could be drawn up to protect the castle’s entrance from intruders.

Round towers on either side of the entrance could give extra protection.

These specially-shaped windows are called arrow slits. Defenders could fire arrows through these at any attackers who made it to the castle door.

If any attackers did manage to get through the entrance, hidden metal doors called portcullises would drop down, in front and behind to trap them.

A warm welcome of hot oil, burning sand, and boiling water awaited them!

Castles protected important people for about 450 years.

The cannon, able to blast down the walls of the very strongest castle, finally brought the time of castles to an end…with a bang.