Concentric castles had two or more surrounding walls around the central tower and were made of stone. The word ‘concentric’ means to ‘have a common center,’ such as a circle within another circle. So a concentric castle was like a castle within a castle. This made it very difficult for invaders to get inside.
What does a concentric castle look like?
Concentric Castles and Crusader Castles. A concentric castle is a castle with two or more concentric curtain walls, where the outer wall is lower than the inner and can be defended from it. Concentric castles resemble one enclosure castle nested inside the other, generally without a central free-standing keep.
What is good about a concentric castle?
Major advantages of a Concentric Castle: Round towers couldn’t be mined as easily. Larger Castles can house a greater number of defendants. Once inside the outer wall an attacker was still visible to defenders in a large number of towers.
What is the center of a castle called?
Inner Ward
Inner Ward – The open area in the center of a castle. Keep – See donjon.
What are the gaps in castle walls called?
In this wall were gaps or spaces called crenels, which were usually square or rectangular and placed at regular intervals. They’re the distinct two- to three-foot-wide gaps you see at the very top of castle walls. Sometimes crenels are also called embrasures. Between the crenels were solid upright forms called merlons.
What is the strongest part of a castle called?
The castle gatehouse was one of the most defensive parts of any medieval fortress. It was a strong, fortified building positioned to defend the entrance to a castle.
What is the most famous concentric castle?
Beaumaris castle
Considered to be the best example of a concentric castle. Concentric castles became even more popular after the invention of gunpowder since they could withstand a siege whilst a regular castle could not.
What are the 3 types of castles?
The three main types of castles are the motte and bailey castle, the stone keep castle, and the concentric castle.
What are parts of castles called?
Inner Curtain – The high wall the surrounds the inner ward. Inner Ward – The open area in the center of a castle. Jamb – Side posts of arch, door, or window. Keep – A strong stone tower; main tower; donjon; stronghold.
What is the first room of a castle called?
The Great Hall
The Great Hall. A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman’s castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries.
What are the slots in a castle called?
An arrowslit (often also referred to as an arrow loop, loophole or loop hole, and sometimes a balistraria) is a narrow vertical aperture in a fortification through which an archer can launch arrows or a crossbowman can launch bolts.
What is a turret in a castle?
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification.
What are the holes in a castle called?
An embrasure is the opening in a battlement between the two raised solid portions, referred to as crenel or crenelle in a space hollowed out throughout the thickness of a wall by the establishment of a bay. This term designates the internal part of this space, relative to the closing device, door or window.
What is a parapet in a castle?
ˈpa-rə- : a wall, rampart, or elevation of earth or stone to protect soldiers. The invaders fired arrows over the castle’s parapet. : a low wall or railing to protect the edge of a platform, roof, or bridge.
What is the weakest part of a castle?
The entrance to the castle was always its weakest point. Drawbridges could be pulled up, preventing access across moats. Tall gate towers meant that defenders could shoot down in safety at attacks below. The main gate or door to the castle was usually a thick, iron-studded wooden door, that was hard to break through.
What are 3 features of a castle?
Each castle had gates, often with a metal barrier called a portcullis and with doors made of a very strong wood. And sometimes they had a moat, which is a ditch filled with water to stop people from being able to get into the castle. You could cross the moat by using a special bridge, called a drawbridge.
What is the main door of a castle called?
A portcullis is a heavy castle door or gate made of metal strips that form a grid. A castle guardian might lower the portcullis to protect the people inside from an invading army. It was common during medieval times for castles to be protected by a portcullis or two.
Who lived in concentric castles?
King Edward I built numerous concentric castles in the late 1200s to early 1300s, many of which can still be seen today.
How were concentric castles defended?
The two castle walls in concentric designs were designed to be two separate obstacles in the path of any attacker. The floorplan of concentric Beaumaris Castle in Wales is a nice example of how these castles were laid out.
What’s the difference between concentric and stone keep castles?
A stone keep castle was a single dwelling built of rocks, making it harder to burn or attack, and surrounded by a moat. A concentric castle was similar in design to the stone keep castle, but had two walls surrounding the dwelling in addition to the moat.
What are old castles called?
Medieval Castle: Motte and Bailey Castles
Motte and Bailiey castles were the earliest form of medieval castles built completely from scratch by the Normans. As their name suggests they had two parts the Motte and the Bailey. The Motte was a large hill made of earth on which was built a wooden keep or lookout.