In medieval times, castles served as the home and fortress of a monarch or noble. The
earliest castles were built from earth and wood. By the 12th century, most castles were
built from stone. The stones came from local mines or quarries if possible, but
sometimes they had to be carried long distances by water or on ox wagons. The roofs of
castles were covered with slates, clay tiles, or wooden shingles.
Castles were built on steep hill sides or at the top of rocky cliffs. This was for
protection from attackers. It made it harder for them to reach the castle.
Castles also had additional purposes. They sometimes served as barracks, prisons,
storehouses, armories, treasure houses, and the center for local government. Castles
sometimes had brewhouses, a laundry a huge bakers oven, workshops, dovecotes, and stables
(MacDonald, p.12)
Castle walls surrounded the entire castle and were usually several meters thick. They
usually had 3 layers: a rough stone inner shell, a thick, solid filling of flint and
rubble, and an outer layer of stone called ashlar. (MacDonald, p.8) There was usually a
walkway along the top of the walls so guards could keep watch. Some castle walls had
spaces at the top called embrassures, which allowed archers to shoot with the protection
of the wall. These openings also permitted stones or boiling water to be thrown down on
the enemy. (Encyclopedia Americana, p.790). Towers were built along castle walls at
regular intervals to strengthen them and provide area for castle workers or visitors.
Moats often surrounded castles for protection. Some people built castles on banks of
lakes or rivers and channeled water to the moat. A drawbridge laid across the moat and
could be raised if an enemy approached.
Castles had few window, because they made the castle drafty and allowed the enemy a way
inside. Glass was a luxury until around the 15th century. Although oiled paper shut out
some of the drafts, shutters were the usual way of shutting windows. (Encyclopedia
Americana, p.791)
The castle hall was usually the single largest room in the castle. In the early middle
ages, it was common to sleep in the hall. (Encyclopedia Americana, p.791). In the late
Middle Ages, however, the hall wasn't used as much. People would eat by themselves in a
room, usually wit a fireplace.
Castles usually seemed indestructible, but they were not. Enemies had many ways of
attacking castles. Arrows could be made to ignite a castle when it was fired. Attackers
could make moveable towers that could help get them over castle walls. (Encyclopedia
Americana, p.790). Walls could also be tunneled under, or undermined, but moats made
this difficult. Enemies could block off a castle from outside food, water, and help,
but it could take months to starve castle defenders, so this usually wasn't successful.
Lastly, catapults could eventually batter down castle walls.
Lords of the castle sometimes had social gatherings in the castle. People gathered in
the hall for feasts and listened to music by minstrels, or wandering singers. On special
occasions, lords held jousting events in a field outside the castle.
Bibliography
1.) Hogg, Ian. The History of Forts and Castles. New York: Crescent Books, 1985.
2.) MacDonald, Fiona. A Medieval Castle. New York, New York: Peter Bedrick Books,
1990.
3.) "Castles." The Encyclopedia Americana. 1994 Edition.
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