Concentric Castles Of The Middle Ages

“A castle was a self contained, fortified household in which several, hundreds, or thousands lived and worked” (Cosman and Jones). Concentric walls enclosed the castle. These castles are known as concentric circle castle. Concentric circle castles have “two or three walls around the keep” (“Concentric Castles”). In between the walls is known as the death hole because the enemy can get trapped. This can result “in death for the attacker” (“Concentric Castles”). Also, the walls served as an obstacle for anyone who tried to attack the castle (“Concentric”).
The earliest castles in the Middle Ages had an outer wall that was surrounded by a moat filled with water. To cross the moat, there were “retractable drawbridges that could be lifted for security”
(Cosman and Jones). Most castles has a portcullis on the outermost wall. A portcullis is the castle’s or town’s gate. It was heavy, girded and barbed, and raised or lowered from the inside (Cosman and Jones).
Castles have many defenses. One was that the tops of castles has crenellation where people could stand to attack. It has “evenly spaced tooth and gum designs” (Cosman and Jones). These teeth are called merlons. The merlons allow archers to shoot arrows or launch things without the enemy seeing them. It also allows people to hide behind them. On the floor of the crenellations are machicolation, which are “floor openings with removable covers to prevent people from tripping or falling” (Cosman and Jones). If it is uncovered, it can be used to drop missiles, boiling oil, or corrosive liquid onto approaching enemies.
The main room of the castle is the great hall. Often is is used for meetings and eating. During eating times, the castle owners and their guests would sit on a high table while others sit on lower ones. The castle’s kitchen was separated from the castle to prevent fires if there was any.
Another type of castle is the motte and bailey castle. This castle is “a form of castle situated on a raised earthwork and surrounded by a ditch and protective fence” (“Motte &”). This is the most common type of castle in Europe during the 11th century. Although motte and bailey castles were small and cheap, they had an “effective defensive fortification that could repel small attacks” (“Motte &”).
A motte is a hill a tower on top.
If is was an artificial hill, people would take earth from a ditch. This hill would be covered with clay or wooden supports to strengthen it. On the top of the motte, was the castle.
A bailey is an “enclosed courtyard, typically surrounded by a wooden palisade overlooked by the motte” (“Motte &”). This area are used by vassals. The bailey was usually surrounded by another wooden palisade and ditch. This provided more protection for the castle. This extra protection was connected to the motte by a drawbridge, which could be raised for defense. Sometimes the drawbridge could be at the entrance of the bailey.
The motte and bailey castles “evolved into Norman castles that evolved later into better concentric circle castles” (“Motte &”). Castle changed over time because of the new resources were being discovered and new technology was being developed. For example, the motte and bailey castle is made out of wood. It was high up so soldiers in castle could fire down on attackers (“How Did”). But, the castle could be easily burnt and rotten. So, people started to make them out of stone. The first stone tower was the square keep castle. This type of castle was harder to attack. Later, people started to build shell keep castles. It was a round castle so it was easier to defend because they could see in all directions. But, the disadvantage was that it had a weak entrance. In addition, the motte couldn't hold the stone tower so the motte and bailey castles
were abandoned. In 1277, people built concentric castles. This castle was “the strongest compared to any other previous types of castle” (“How Did”).