What was the protective trench that surrounded a castle called?
Moat refers to a deep, wide trench surrounding a medieval castle, and maybe a city wall or other fortification, that is usually filled with water.
What is the town outside of a castle called?
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles.
What was built around the castles for protection?
The top of the castle walls were the battlements, a protective, tooth shaped parapet often with a wall walk behind it for the soldiers to stand on. The defenders could fire missiles through gaps (crenels). The raised sections between, called merlons, helped to shelter the defenders during an enemy attack.
What defenses does a castle have?
Castle Defenses
- Towers. These tall, round or square structures were built into the length or corners of the castle walls.
- Gatehouses, Drawbridges and Barbicans. Gatehouses were inside the wall and connected with the bridge over the moat, but they were more than just doorways.
- Inner Walls and Towers.
- Bailey or Ward.
What did holes in the floor of a castle do?
(i.e., motte and bailey castles) Motte. Holes left in the floor of the upper level of a gatehouse, used to thrust pole weapons down at attackers trapped in the inside passage of the gatehouse. The inside passage was the area joining the outside and inside gates.
What are the inside passages of a castle?
The inside passage was the area joining the outside and inside gates. Murder holes were also used for dropping stones and other unpleasant things onto enemies. A dungeon or cell with the only opening being a trap door in the ceiling. (Also sometimes call the bailey).
Where are the secondary gates in a castle?
Sliding secondary gate used to guard a castle entrance, usually made of vertical and horizontal metal bars or reinforced wood beams. This was designed to make the use of rams against the main gate less effective. Small secondary gate, often too small for horses to pass through, located in the side walls of the castle curtain wall.
What are the permanent additions to a castle?
Permanent stone additions to a castle’s battlements, providing better cover for defenders. These are similar to hoardings, but are made of stone and are permanent additions to a castle. The upward portion of a crenelation, the part of the top wall located between the embrasures or crenels. Trench dug around a castle often filled with water.