How would you describe a medieval castle?
A medieval castle was the fortified home of an important person, such as a lord or king. During this time, many castles were built in Europe and the Middle East. They ranged from simple wooden enclosures to vast stone palaces. A castle allowed a lord to control the surrounding land.
How dirty were medieval castles?
There were also other problems with living in a medieval castle, the main one being that there were no sewers or flushing toilets. Often the moat surrounding the castle was used as a sewer. Both the moat and the castle quickly became smelly and dirty.
What were medieval castles called?
The tower keep became a staple feature of medieval castles, although they were called a donjon prior to the 16th century CE. The earliest form of castle was a simple wooden palisade, perhaps with earthworks, surrounding a camp, sometimes with a permanent wooden tower in the centre.
What are feudal castles?
A castle was the fortified home of a member of the feudal nobility. Unlike earlier large-scale fortifications, its purpose was not to protect a large urban population but rather a noble, his family, and his retainers. It was designed to be defended by a small group of soldiers.
Who would live in a medieval castle?
During the late Middle Ages, from the 10th to the 16th centuries, kings and lords lived in castles. As well as the lord, the lady (his wife), and their family there were lots of staff. Some were important officials, such as the constable who took care of the castle when the lord was away.
How did they keep warm in castles?
Thick stone walls, tiny unglazed windows and inefficient open fires made the classic castle something of a challenge to keep warm. By heating the stones as well as the chamber, and directing the smoke away from the room, these fireplaces made life in a medieval castle a considerably more comfortable affair.
Why did we stop building castles?
Why did they stop building castles? Castles were great defences against the enemy. However, when gunpowder was invented the castles stopped being an effective form of defence. The medieval castle with its high vertical walls was no longer the invincible fortification it had been.
What is the strongest type of castle?
Stone castles were the mightiest, strongest form of castle design.
Did medieval kings live in castles?
Did medieval castles have glass windows?
Windows were equipped with wooden shutters secured by an iron bar, but in the 11th and 12th centuries were rarely glazed. By the 13th century a king or great baron might have “white (greenish) glass” in some of his windows, and by the 14th century glazed windows were common.
What was the design of a medieval castle?
Medieval castles’ design reached its pinnacle with the development of the concentric castle during the 12 th and 13 th centuries. Simply speaking, 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.”
How to visit medieval castles in the UK?
An account of the tragic events of 1190 and the rise of anti-Semitism in medieval England. Read about the woman at the centre of a Civil War and her role in the Dover Castle siege of 1265. English Heritage has over a hundred castles and forts which are open to the public. Use our interactive map to find a property and plan your visit.
Which is the longest occupied castle in Europe?
One of the castle’s most notable features is the tall turquoise spire with a small golden statue of Saint Michel at the top. Undoubtedly one of the better known castles of the medieval era, Windsor Castle was built in 11th century and hold the record for the longest occupied castle in Europe.
When did castles become obsolete in medieval times?
Over the course of the medieval period, castles had to make adaptations that allowed them to deal more effectively with changes in siege warfare. True castles became obsolete during the 15 th century, when artillery became powerful enough to breach the stone walls of castles.