![]() ![]() The castle design was introduced into England by the Normans when they invaded England following the Battle of Hastings in 1066. They were widespread across France and the Holy Roman Empire. Motte and bailey castles were typical in Northern Europe during the 10th century. The castle’s name comes from two Norman French words – motte, meaning raised mound or clot of earth, and bailey, meaning enclosed land. The motte and bailey is recognized as the first castle style to emerge in Europe. Although castles eventually stopped being built, the royal palaces that emerged after are considered the modern equivalent. The four main castles styles – motte and bailey, shell keep, stone keep, and concentric – emerged over a period of a thousand years. In bigger castles, the bailey also included secondary residences. The bailey, or inner courtyard, was a hive of activity in the castle, often incorporating several buildings, workshops, granaries and storage, food gardens, and space for domestic animals and livestock. It also had incredibly thick walls and heavily guarded entrances. It was situated in the castle’s highest point to make it difficult to access. As such, the keep featured extra security measures. During an invasion, castle residents would retreat to the keep as a last resort if attackers breached the rest of the castle. The keep, considered the safest place in the castle, is a heavily fortified tower featuring multiple stories and accessed via narrow staircases. Guards could ward off an attack by lowering the grid over the gate. The gate, which is deep-set between the towers, is made of thick and heavy wood and is further reinforced by a moveable grid made from metal and more wood. The fortification typically included two towers on either end of the gate. With the castle’s main gate being one of its most vulnerable areas, fortified gatehouses became the standard way of protecting them. Guards would be stationed in the tower buildings to fire at intruders trying to launch an attack on the walls. ![]() The curtain walls are high and were sometimes built at a sloping angle to make them harder to scale.įound at various intervals along the length of the curtain wall are the castle towers. Some were dense enough to include small passages through them. Curtain walls were constructed with various thicknesses. They are solid and reinforced with stone and rubble to increase their strength against weapons and other projectiles. The castle’s curtain walls surround its entire perimeter. It’s usually a tower or stretch of wall designed to protect the castle’s outside entrance from attack. The barbican fortifies a gate or bridge in the castle. It was a defensive measure and means of impeding invaders’ progress. It was designed to be deep and, in some instances, was filled with water. The moat is an artificial ditch surrounding the castle. The typical structure of a medieval castle included a moat, barbican, curtain walls and towers, fortified gatehouse, keep, and bailey. However, as invasions increased and the need to defend lands became a priority, architects added more security features, and the castle became increasingly militarized. Structure of a Medieval CastleĮarly versions of the medieval castle were simple structures. Stonemasons, blacksmiths, carpenters, architects, and other specialists set to work, sometimes for years, to construct a single castle and at a high cost. As medieval castles became more impressive, they required skilled teams of master craftsmen to build them. Naturally, the size of a castle was also a display of power and status. They were also strong forts that kept the aristocratic family and their prized possessions safe. Their primary role was to allow the nobility to rule over the surrounding land. Medieval castles were usually situated on elevated land or near strategic landmarks such as river crossings or mountain passes. They were built from around the 9th to 15th century and ranged from basic wooden structures to colossal stone buildings. The Medieval years represented an active era of castle-building throughout Europe and the Middle East. In this article, we’ll go over many types of castles from ancient time till now. They were common, particularly during the Middle Ages. But, the European-style ones are possibly the most well-known. A castle was essentially a fortified private home for the noble class, like kings and lords.Ĭastles can be found in many regions and many styles around the world. ![]()
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