What is the bailey of a castle?
What is the bailey of a castle? A bailey is the sturdy wall around a castle that keeps invaders out. The bailey of a medieval castle was usually built of stone. You might see a bailey — or the remains of one — if you tour a castle in England or France.
What is the area outside of a castle called?
An outer bailey or outer ward is the defended outer enclosure of a castle.
What are the top of castle walls called?
Battlements were the square-shaped part of the walls around the top of the castle. They usually had a walkway behind them so that soldiers could stand there when looking out for potential threats. They were also useful for soldiers who were defending the castle during an attack.
What is a small castle called?
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade.
What is the courtyard of a castle called?
Bailey (Ward) The courtyard of a castle containing the principal buildings, including sometimes a tower keep, which may be surrounded by its own fortified wall. Medieval Ballista.
What is the entrance to a castle called?
/'p?rt?k?l?s/ 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.
What is a castle balcony 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.
Why did castles stop being built?
After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.
What is the open space in a castle called?
The Yard (or Bailey or Ward): An open courtyard inside the castle walls. Loopholes: Narrow slits in the walls (also called embrasures, arrow slits, or arrow loops) through which soldiers could shoot arrows at the enemy.
What are the holes in castle walls 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 are the ridges on a castle called?
Castle Battlements and Parapets The raised sections of the battlement were known as merlons and the lower parts were called crenels. Crenels, sometimes called embrasures, were regularly spaced gaps in the castle battlement. Castle defenders could take protection behind the merlons and fire arrows from the crenels.
What is the water around a castle called?
moat, a depression surrounding a castle, city wall, or other fortification, usually but not always filled with water.