![]() However, as the architecture of these castles evolved, the Lord and Ladies’ chambers were moved to another floor entirely. When the bed chambers were attached to the great hall, there would be an entrance that led to these rooms directly from the back. Chatsam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons While initially, these used to be attached to the great hall, they eventually evolved to be on separate floors as medieval castle architecture evolved.īedchambers from Château de Chenonceau. The important residents of the castle, including the lord and the lady, had separate bedchambers. You might have seen one of these in one of the manor houses of the popular Netflix series, Bridgerton. These hearths were quite large (almost as big as a person) and were sometimes used for cooking (though there certainly were separate hearths in the kitchens).ĭuring the end of the 15th century, there was a decline in the popularity of the great hall, but it sprung forward in a whimsical revival after the 17th century, mostly used as an impressive entry point rather than having any functional value. They were usually connected to a chimney in the roof to accommodate ventilation. Johan Bakker, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsĪ quite fascinating aspect of the great hall was the central hearth, which was used to provide warmth during the winters. Other than that, the design of these courtyards also depended a lot on the local topography. The large courtyard of Dublin Castle is an excellent example. While some were as simple as basic enclosures, others were more complex and part of the overall defense strategy of the castle. Their design complexity varied from castle to castle. The courtyards of a medieval castle were also known as wards or baileys. While the outer one was used for grazing the animals, the inner ones were used for formal events and were usually rather closed off. Typically, there were two courtyards in a medieval castle. The castle itself stood on a “motte”, which was a hilly mound of dirt that was used to make it hard for the enemies to get to the gatehouse. The towers that flanked these walls were also designed with thick arrow loops (kind of like very thick windows) where the archers could take aim using crossbows and longbows at the attacking enemies without coming into danger themselves. They included the battlements that were frequently crenelated at the top of the outer curtain walls (which usually spanned quite a few meters in length and thickness alike). Other than that, there were quite a few other physical elements that made up the exterior of a medieval castle. ![]() The gatehouse, drawbridge, and moat of Bodiam Castle. During the summers, one can imagine that the smell might have been almost unbearable. However, these stagnant moats would become a hub of all the castle sewage – disgusting yet also an imperative part of the defense strategy. Since few castles could have freshwater moats, most of them were man-made by damming nearby rivers and streams – Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland is an excellent example of a man-made moat. The gatehouse was often accompanied by a drawbridge and a moat. It was usually flanked by twin towers on either side where a guard was stationed as a lookout. Since the entrance was the most vulnerable area, the gatehouse was structured to be the most formidable element with its portcullises and murder holes. The medieval gatehouse was one of the most important parts of the castle. To differentiate properly between the medieval castle and keep, here’s a look at the buildings that were housed inside the usual Medieval castle complex: The Gatehouse and Moat We’ll take a look at each of these parts in greater detail: Medieval Castle Layouts ![]() This included the keep, the great hall, the bed chambers, kitchens, inner courtyard, and other facilities used only by the lord, lady, and their households. Then there was the inner part of the castle which consisted of the residence. The second part of the medieval castle consisted of out-buildings with an exterior courtyard, stables, and training facilities for the garrison or knights. The first category was the castle’s defense, which consisted of the exterior walls, gate, barbicans, portcullis, and moat. 3.3 Q: What are parts of a castle wall called?.3.2 Q: What is the main part of the castle called?.3.1 Q: What are the sections of a castle?.
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