What is the keep of a medieval castle?

What is the keep of a medieval castle?

keep, English term corresponding to the French donjon for the strongest portion of the fortification of a castle, the place of last resort in case of siege or attack. Three main castle types: motte and bailey, stone keep, and concentric.

What were the parts of a castle called?

There were various medieval castle parts that made up a castle which included moats, ramparts, walls, turrets, towers, look outs, and gatehouse.

What is a gallery in a medieval castle?

Gallery – long passage or room. Garderobe – a small latrine or toilet either built into the thickness of the wall or projected out from it; projects from the wall as a small, rectangular bartizan. Gate House – the complex of towers, bridges, and barriers built to protect each entrance through a castle or town wall.

What are medieval castle walls called?

Curtain wall castles In medieval castles, the area surrounded by a curtain wall, with or without towers, is known as the bailey. The outermost walls with their integrated bastions and wall towers together make up the enceinte or main defensive line enclosing the site.

What did the keep of a castle do?

A medieval castle keep was a kind of fortified tower that had central importance in the defence of the castle. It also served the purpose of imprisoning political prisoners since it was considered one of the most impenetrable castle parts.

What was a keep used for in medieval castles?

A castle’s Keep is the strongest portion of a medieval fortification and the last resort in case of a siege or attack. It was usually a fortified tower built within the walls and used as a last refuge in case of an attack. The name keep derives from the Middle English kype, meaning basket or cask.

What are the major parts of a medieval castle?

Features

• Moat – a perimeter ditch with or without water.
• Barbican – a fortification to protect a gate.
• Curtain Walls & Towers – the perimeter defensive wall.
• Fortified Gatehouse – the main castle entrance.
• Keep (aka Donjon or Great Tower) – the largest tower and best stronghold of the castle.

What are the key features of a castle?

The key features of a castle include: Rampart, Dungeon, Portcullis, Moat, Drawbridge and Turret.

What are balconies on castles called?

In Medieval fortification, a bretèche or brattice is a small balcony with machicolations, usually built over a gate and sometimes in the corners of the fortress’ wall, with the purpose of enabling defenders to shoot or throw objects at the attackers huddled under the wall.

What are the blocks on top of a castle called?

In architecture, a battlement is a structure on top of castle or fortress walls that protects from attack. Historically, battlements were usually narrow walls at the top of the outermost walls of a castle.

What is the outside of a castle called?

outer bailey
An outer bailey or outer ward is the defended outer enclosure of a castle. It protects the inner bailey and usually contains those ancillary buildings used for the management of the castle or the supply of its occupants.

What are the rooms in a medieval castle called?

Below are the main rooms found in medieval castles and large manor houses. The Great Hall; Bed Chambers; Solars; Bathrooms, Lavatories and Garderobes; Kitchens, Pantries, Larders & Butteries; Gatehouses and Guardrooms

What are the key parts of this castle and their purpose?

The key parts of this castle are labelled and the purpose of these parts can be found below. The allure is the wall-walk found at the top of a curtain wall and is normally found on the inside of the wall. This allowed guards to look over the top of the wall to look for enemies.

How many people worked in a medieval castle?

An English medieval castle, if a large one, could have a household staff of at least 50 people, which included all manner of specialised and skilled workers such as cooks, grooms, carpenters, masons, falconers, and musicians, as well as a compliment of knights, bowmen, and crossbow operators.

What was the role of household staff in medieval castles?

A microcosm of the medieval world, the household staff worked as a team to meet the castle’s often extensive needs of nourishment, defence, and entertainment. The staff of a castle may be divided into two broad groups: men-at-arms and domestic servants.