Henry's Castle Defense Session Quiz

Answer: Curtain Wall

The curtain wall is non-structural; in other words, it doesn't have anything to do with the building of the castle itself, however, it is vital for defense. Called a curtain because it covers everything within, it is not unusual for the curtain wall to be six feet thick - but there are some castles with walls that are twenty feet thick! While the center of the wall is filled with rubble and rocks, the other walls are made from huge stones that are laid side by side to create the first defensive line of the castle complex. Constructing the wall in this way gives it a bit of a buffer if battering rams or missiles are used, and the wall is high in order to give defenders a good vantage point.

Answer: It makes it difficult to use towers and other siege engines to enter the complex.

Moats do not have to be very deep, however, the water in a moat will prevent attackers from using towers and ladders to scale the castle wall. Keeping attackers away from the walls will also give the archers a better shot, and it becomes practically impossible to try and tunnel to gain entrance. Sharpened wooden stakes can be used under the water to give anyone who tries to walk or ride into the moat a nasty surprise. Because the moat is used as a sewer and the water is pretty stagnant, it is impossible to use it for drinking.

When Warwick Castle begins to smell really bad, the Earl will take the household away for a time and leave a cleaning crew behind to freshen the place up a bit. That is the best we can do.

Answer: Trou de loup

It is necessary to be very careful when leaving the walls of the castle (who really wants to leave the protection anyway?) because the Earl has trou de loup pits dug in areas that he feels might need some extra fortification. We pages have been shown what the area looks like, however, it is so well disguised that a stranger would never been able to find it.

A pit is dug and a sharpened stake is hammered into the pit; then it is covered with a thin layer of soil. Some of the pits are so close together that it would be impossible to avoid falling into one of them, and, if unlucky enough to fall in, a person would be gravely injured. Sir William told us that this type of booby trap was used by the great Julius Caesar at the siege of Alesia during the Gallic Wars.

Answer: Portcullis

This is the heaviest gate I have ever seen! Attached to a winch, it is raised or lowered from the gatehouse ceiling using chains and ropes. Many castles will have two portcullises at the main entrance. The one closest to the inside would be closed first, and then the outmost.

This way it is possible to trap an intruder between the space. And the spikes on the bottom of the portcullis? I don't even want to think about what will happen if it fell on a person.

Answer: Murder Hole

Picture the space between the two portcullises in the gatehouse. The murder hole is in the roof in that area. It is used to pour hot water, hot sand, quick lime, heavy stones, or boiling pitch - whatever nasty materials we may have available. While you may have heard that boiling oil is used in some places, that is not the case at Warwick Castle.

It is too precious and expensive to use when other materials work as well. A murder hole might also be found in the barbican, called the death trap, which is an extension of the gatehouse, or in other passageway.

Answer: Killing Field

The inner wall of a castle is a very important fortification. If attackers are able to break through the main wall, they will find archers and other fighters on the top of the inner wall, shooting arrows or even throwing stones down on them. It is very difficult to get past the killing field alive; it is a tightly confined area and enemies can be assaulted from many different directions.

The term can also apply to cleared areas outside of the castle wall where enemies can easily be killed.

Answer: Loophole

Also called an arrow slit, the loophole allows an archer to shoot a variety of different types of weapons. Loopholes that will accommodate a longbowman, of course, are tall enough to accommodate a 6 ft. bow, whereas arrow slits for a crossbowman are shorter, allowing him to kneel and support the crossbow on his knee.

The walls behind a loophole are cut away to give the archer a wider range of view. Sir William told us that credit for the invention of the arrowslit is given to the ancient Greek, Archimedes. During the siege of Syracuse, it was possible to shoot both arrows and scorpions, a type of early crossbow, from within the walls of the city.

Answer: Machicolation

Actually there are two types of machicolations. The first, on the top of the battlement, is made as an opening in the floor from which projectiles and nasty liquids can be dropped on castle intruders. Sometimes machicolations are made so that they protrude from the top of the wall. Temporary machicolations, made out of wood, are called hoardings. Of course the machicolations that are built into a castle offer better defense; a wooden hoarding burns easily and is not as strong.

Answer: Square corners were weaker and easier to undermine.

Obviously, square towers and keeps are still constructed. They do have more space on the inside, and are easier to build; the downside, however, is that they are also susceptible to mining. A round tower, also called a drum tower, is more resistant to siege.

The tallest and strongest structure within the castle complex is the keep. Square or round, it stands alone and is considered to be the last line of castle defense during a siege or attack, and where Lord Richard, his family, and many of his retainers live.

Answer: Crenel

The battlement will have a low wall that is called a parapet, which has gaps that can be used by castle defenders to shoot arrows or other projectiles at intruders. These crenels, or gaps, are also known as embrasures, carnels, or wheelers, while the solid pieces between them are known as merlons, cops, or kneelers. If a lord has been given a license to crenellate, it means that he has permission, usually from the king or his liege lord, to fortify his property.