Castle Terms

Arrow Slits Arrow slits are narrow vertical slits in a wall for shooting or looking through, or to admit light and air.

Bailey (Ward) A bailey is the ward or courtyard inside the castle walls, includes exercise area, parade ground, and emergency corral.

Barbican A barbican is the gateway or outworks defending the drawbridge.

Catapult A catapult is a device in which accumulated tension is suddenly released to hurl an object some distance.

Corbels A corbel is a projecting block of stone built into a wall during construction that supports an overhanging wall above it, like a parapet.

Crenels A crenel is the low segment of the alternating high and low segments of a battlement.

Curtain Wall The curtain wall is a connecting wall hung between two towers surrounding the bailey.

Drawbridge The drawbridge is a heavy timber platform built to span a moat between a gatehouse and surrounding land that could be raised when required to block an entrance.

Gate House The gatehouse is the complex of towers, bridges, and barriers built to protect each entrance through a castle or town wall.

Keep The keep is a strong stone tower; main tower; donjon; stronghold.

Machicolations Machicolations are a projecting gallery on brackets, on outside of castle or towers, with holes in floor for dropping rocks, shooting, etc.

Moat A moat was a deep trench usually filled with water that surrounded a castle.

Murder Holes Murder holes were a section between the main gate and a inner portcullis where arrows, rocks, and hot oil can be dropped from the roof though holes. Provides good cover for defenders and leaves the attacker open. Only used when outer gate has been breach.

Parapet The parapet is a low wall on the outer side of the main wall.

Pen A pen is a small enclosure in which sheep, pigs, cattle, or other domestic animals are kept.

Portcullis A portcullis is a heavy timber or metal grill that protected the castle entrance and could be raised or lowered from within the castle. It dropped vertically between grooves to block passage or barbican, or to trap attackers.

Postern Gate The postern gate was a side or less important gate into a castle; usually for peacetime use by pedestrians.

Rocky Ledge Rocky ledges were important for placement of castles. A castle built on rock meant no tunnneling.

Stables A stable was a building set apart and adapted for keeping horses.

Well A well is a shaft sunk into the ground to obtain water.