What was the castle keep and what was its purpose?
What was the castle keep and what was its purpose? Traditionally keeps were built as a type of fortified tower built by European nobility. Keep's were built within castles during the Middle Ages and they were used as a refuge or last resort should the rest of the castle fall to enemies.
Who lived in the keep of a castle?
What other rooms were there in a Medieval castle? At the time of Chr tien de Troyes, the rooms where the lord of a castle, his family and his knights lived and ate and slept were in the Keep (called the Donjon), the rectangular tower inside the walls of a castle. This was meant to be the strongest and safest place.
Why were stone keeps built?
Stone keep castles became the norm during the 11th and 12th centuries, especially during the Norman Invasion of England. They were largely constructed by William the Conqueror, and his barons, who wanted to show their power and status on their new lands.
Did people live in a castle keep?
At the time of Chr tien de Troyes, the rooms where the lord of a castle, his family and his knights lived and ate and slept were in the Keep (called the Donjon), the rectangular tower inside the walls of a castle. This was meant to be the strongest and safest place.
What is a keep in a Motte and Bailey castle?
This consisted of two main components: the motte, an artificial mound atop which was built a fortified tower called a keep, and a bailey, which was an enclosure connected to the motte. Many castles of this type also had a ditch around the bailey.
What would be in a castle keep?
Inside were such buildings as a hall, barracks, chapel, accommodation, and storehouses. An excellent example of a surviving shell keep is at the c. 1150 CE Cardiff Castle, Wales.
Where would you find a keep in a castle?
The keep, located within a courtyard and surrounded by a curtain wall, was the heart of a medieval castle. The hall keep was a low building while the tower keep or donjon could have three or more floors and be topped by turrets and battlements.
What were the key features of the keep castle?
The stone keepwas a central feature of the castle, a stone tower built on the highest point. It was typically very tall with thick stone walls and is where the owners would have lived. Not all keeps were the same, but there would have typically been: Battlements- on the top of the keep to provide defence.
What is a castle and what was its purpose?
Castles were common in Europe during the Middle Ages and were often the homes of royal families or other powerful people. The main purpose of castles was to protect the people who lived there from invasions. They were also a status symbol to show other people how important a family was.
Is the keep the strongest part of a 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. The keep was either a single tower or a larger fortified enclosure.
Why is a keep called a keep?
Since the 16th century, the English word keep has commonly referred to large towers in castles. The word originates from around 1375 to 1376, coming from the Middle English term kype, meaning basket or cask, and was a term applied to the shell keep at Guînes, said to resemble a barrel.