Outside a Medieval Castle

Ditches, ramparts, and stone walls were ancient ideas even in the Middle Ages. Raising a motte to for the advantage of height is a medieval innovation. A bank and ditch enclosure was a simple form of defence, and when found without a motte it's called a ringwork. If the site was in use for a long time, it was sometimes replaced by something more complex like adding of a big stone wall.

The castle walls are very thick. Some castles had walls 5 or 6 metres thick. Bastions are round bits that stick out. Archers defending the castle could fire arrows from these at people attacking the walls. Arrows could also be fired through narrow slits in the walls called 'murder holes'. The battlements of castles were often made like this so the defenders could hide while firing at the attacking army.

Castle Defense

Castles were built to withstand attack. Here are five key castle structures and how they help castle defense.

The fore building was the gateway into the castle. It was usually positioned forward from the castle, on higher ground or up stairs from ground level making it tough to enter. Gateways were protected with a big iron gate, a heavy wooden door or both.

Buttresses are the extra thick part of the outer walls that help strengthen and support the building.
Towers and keeps were tall and square and allowed long distance surveillance. Originally the corners were square, but later designs were round. Squared corners were more vulnerable to damage by projectiles like boulders from catapults or trebuchets.

Spiral staircases in castles were designed to stymie right-handed invaders by forcing the attacker�s balance to the left side while stonework defeated his ability to swing his sword properly.

Narrow slit windows were slim on the inside, but flared wider on the outside. This made it difficult for the enemy to hit the defenders, but helped their own archers with a wider range of motion for attacking.

Attackers used huge catapults, trebuchets, battering rams or arbalests (a kind of giant crossbow called). They climbed scaling ladders that they could throw up and hook on to the walls, holding their shields over their heads while the defenders dropped rocks or poured boiling oil on them.

Classroom projects

1. Draw out a plan for your own castle based on castles from the Middle Ages.
2. Go one step further and build your own castle! You can use paper and cardboard, lego or anything else you can think of.