MedievalPlus.com
Castles
Refinement of The Design
This gradual development continued steadily until the early part of
the fourteenth century. At this time Edward I, who reigned from 1272-1307,
used a French castle designer to refine and in fact virtually perfect
the defenses of his castles to their limits.
Siege engines, weapons and methods of attacking castles had developed
to the extent where the simple castles of the previous centuries could
be conquered in a short amount of time. The new castles which Edwards
was having built were firstly in locations which were difficult to attack,
such as adjacent to cliffs or near vertical rock faces. These castles
were also generally concentric castles meaning that where possible several
rings of walls were built; an inner wall would surround the main tower
and buildings then a further wall would surround that wall, then a further
wall would surround that wall and so on.
Between these walls would be a series of alleys or traps where attackers
would find themselves surrounded on all sides by defenders if they breached
the wall. Sometimes a gate would close behind them to trap them inside
while missiles and boiling fluids rained down on them through slots
in the masonry known as murder holes.
Next
Castles were a principal feature of medieval warfare and society,
as well as featuring in many historical legends and myths which emanated
from England and Europe generally. Take a look at this section to learn
the outline of how and why the idea of the castle originated and evolved.
