castles
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English Literature
Castles Research Paper
January 30, 1997 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. Bibliography1.) 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.
