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Castles

From the earliest Motte & Bailey Castles to the massive stone Fortresses still standing today

2,974 Questions

What did William of Normandy do to Dover Castle?

I think he burnt it down or something but i barely know so someone please give a better answer! i just didnt want people to ask the question and have no answer. so here is a rubbish answer. somebody please reanswer this!

Who lived in Skipton castle?

Well first William the conquer granted it to Robert de romille but when he died much later on Edward the 11 gave it to a man named piers gaveston but he was put into exile then when he came bk he was beheaded by the earl of Warwick so Edward gave it to the Clifford family. and they still own it now.

What is the keep of a medieval castle?

The word "keep" was only used about castles after the medieval period. The word used at the time was donjon (from Latin dominium, a place of lordship).

A castle donjon was the largest and strongest tower, often placed somewhere near the centre of the castle but sometimes part of the curtain wall; early donjons were built on a mound.

The function of the donjon was to proclaim authority over a certain area of landscape; to provide temporary accommodation for high-ranking nobles or the king himself; to act as a centre for tax collecting and the imposition of law; and to act as a final refuge for the castle garrison if the outer defences were penetrated by enemy forces.

What were the bed chambers in a medieval European castle used for?

They often had stone or tile floors and it was very cold. the main attraction in a bedroom was the fireplace. the fireplace was also made of stone with a stone chymminey. the beds were very big with long hevy canopies to keep the heat in. the bed was the most expensive piece of furnature in the manor. the colors were mostly very deep, rich colors. they did not have pastels back then.the windows had very long , heavy curtains that reached the floor. on the floor were many soft big rugs to keep their feet warm. the walls were decorated with embroidery and tapestry. the furnature was made of dark, solid wood. i hoped this helped!

What was the purpose of the caernarfon castle?

One of Henry III's most powerful and ambitious barons, Gilbert de Clare, lord of Glamorgan, built this castle in 1270. His purpose was to secure the area and prevent lowland south Wales from falling into the hands of the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Last, who controlled most of mid and north Wales and he had taken Gruffydd ap Rhys (ruler of Uwch-and Is-Caiach) a prisoner. Then In 1268 he started building Caerphilly Castle

How many people worked to build middle age castles?

That actually depends on how big or small the castle was. There is really no definite answer.

A timeline on the Battle of Hastings?

The Saxons decided that they would have the advantage by standing up at the top of a big hill. When the Normans were about to attack they didn't know what to do. They knew that if they could get them on even ground they could slaughter them all but with the Saxons advantage there was a very unlikely chance. So they questioned their commander what to do and fast! What they did was go up the hill and fight. The Normans didn't hesitate they charged up the hill and began to fight.

The Saxons started beating them, they were close to victory. then suddenly the Normans fled and ran down the hill. The Saxons thought to themselves lets finish them and ran after them. Although this was the Normans plan so they turned round and completely slaughtered everyone.

- Michael M. :D

What were battlements used for?

Battlements were/are part of the defenses of an fortified structure. They are the crenellations (evenly spaced gaps) in the top of a wall, or tower. They are designed to give defenders a chance to shoot bows (and later guns) or throw/drop things at the attacking force without exposing themselves to return fire.

How do you build a wooden medieval castle?

Just use cardboard and paper towel rolls and glue. That's how I made mine. But if you want to make a cool one, use Legos. My friend did that and it turned out awesome!!!

What is used to cover the castle floor during the medieval ages?

1st Answer:

Straw or rushes which they left for a year before it was changed. It was pretty stinky since things lived in it, they threw food down, and the dogs would do their stuff in/around it. Add the tallow candles to the scents and people not washing themselves or clothing and it was a pretty stinky place.

2nd Answer:

The pictures we have from the Middle Ages of people in castles and manor houses show wooden or tile floors with no cover. Carpets were used, especially after crusaders brought back examples from the Middle East, but they were not usually put on the floor, being put on the walls instead. There are modern references to straw mats covering floors in the Middle Ages, but I have been unable to find any medieval source indicating these were actually used.

The idea that loose straw was thrown down to cover smelly messes as they were made, accumulating over time, seems to have originated with Erasmus, who was writing after the Middle ages had ended. It appears in a letter to a friend about the quality of English accommodations. I believe this was intended to be a comic description intended to say that an English inn was no better than a badly kept stable.

What was bodiam castle made of?

I have seen Bodiam castle, it is splendid. Few castles will compare, at least in Britain for aesthetic appeal. I'm thinking it is sandstone, red sandstone, but I dont know. Certainly, as it is in Sussex ( South England) it is unlikely to be an older type of rock or stone, & it is dressed with lime.

Were there castles in Medieval Times?

They were bigger than a two story house Castles varied from place to place. Much depended on their defences, where they were and what they were constructed with. Some were no more than Fortified Houses while others were entire communities offering defence for many. The main point of the defence was the Keep and of course the Gatehouse. There may or not be a moat, most often the castle is going to be on a hillside and will dominate its surroundings. irrespective of size the castle has to be self sufficient against a Siege, a starvation, by the enemy: Therefore its size will determine how resistable it is.

Why do medieval castles have so many windows?

When you have an opening like a door or window they leak, are drafty, and don't fit well in the building materials used in this time. Also in some places people were taxed for each window. This was done in Ireland for many years. Just trying to stay dry and warm was a challenge let alone have a lot of windows that added to the areas where they would get a draft or two. Just wasn't worth it to have big windows or a lot of them.

MoreGlass was too expensive for many people to use, so a lot of windows were left unglazed and could only be closed with shutters.

Windows in castles were narrow and tall so the archers could get protection while they shot out through them.

Some windows, such as those in medieval kitchens, were very large and left unglazed for ventilation. They had no chimneys until the 12th century, and then most people could not afford them.

Where were the Middle ages cathedrals built?

The use of cathedrals was the same in the Middle Ages as it is today, as the church associated with the central administration of a diocese. The diocese is a set of churches grouped according to geographical area.

The religious head of a diocese is a bishop, whose church is the cathedral. It is called a cathedral because the bishop's throne is there; the Latin word "cathedra" means seat. The presence of a cathedral was the thing that distinguished a city from a town, for much of the Middle Ages.

Why was Warwick castle built in leeds?

It is built on a sandstone bluff at a bend of the River Avon, which has eroded the rock the castle stands on, forming a cliff. The river and cliff form natural defenses which protect the castle. This is why the site was chosen.

What jobs did a soldier do in a medieval castle?

* Almoners: ensured the poor received alms. * Atilliator: skilled castle worker who made crossbows. * Baliff: in charge of allotting jobs to the peasants, building repair, and repair of tools used by the peasants. * Barber: someone who cut hair. Also served as dentists, surgeons and blood-letters. * Blacksmith: forged and sharpened tools and weapons, beat out dents in armor, made hinges for doors, and window grills. Also referred to as Smiths. * Bottler: in charge of the buttery or bottlery. * Butler: cared for the cellar and was in charge of large butts and little butts (bottles) of wine and beer. Under him a staff of people might consist of brewers, tapsters, cellarers, dispensers, cupbearers and dapifer. * Carder: someone who brushed cloth during its manufacture. * Carpenter: built flooring, roofing, siege engines, furniture, panelling for rooms, and scaffoling for building. * Carters: workmen who brought wood and stone to the site of a castle under construction. * Castellan: resident owner or person in charge of a castle (custodian). * Chamberlain: responsible for the great chamber and for the personal finances of the castellan. * Chaplain: provided spirtual welfare for laborers and the castle garrison. The duties might also include supervising building operations, clerk, and keeping accounts. He also tended to the chapel. * Clerk: a person who checked material costs, wages, and kept accounts. * Constable: a person who took care (the governor or warden) of a castle in the absence of the owner. This was sometimes bestowed upon a great baron as an honor and some royal castles had hereditary constables. * Cook: roasted, broiled, and baked food in the fireplaces and ovens. * Cottars: the lowest of the peasantry. Worked as swine-herds, prison guards, and did odd jobs. * Ditcher: worker who dug moats, vaults, foundations and mines. * Dyer: someone who dyed cloth in huge heated vats during its manufacture. * Ewerer: worker who brought and heated water for the nobles. * Falconer: highly skilled expert responsible for the care and training of hawks for the sport of falconry. * Fuller:worker who shrinks & thickens cloth fibers through wetting & beating the material. * Glaziers: a person who cut and shaped glass. * Gong Farmer: a latrine pit emptier. * Hayward: someone who tended the hedges. * Herald:knights assistant and an expert advisor on heraldry. * Keeper of the Wardrobe: in charge of the tailors and laundress. * Knight: a professional soldier. This was achieved only after long and arduous training which began in infancy. * Laird:minor baron or small landlord. * Marshal: officer in charge of a household's horses, carts, wagons, and containers. His staff included farriers, grooms, carters, smiths and clerks. He also oversaw the transporting of goods. * Master Mason:responsible for the designing and overseeing the building of a structure. * Messengers: servants of the lord who carried receipts, letters, and commodities. * Miner: skilled professional who dug tunnels for the purpose of undermining a castle. * Minstrels: part of of the castle staff who provided entertainment in the form of singing and playing musical instruments. * Porter: took care of the doors (janitor), particularly the main entrance. Responsible for the guardrooms. The person also insured that no one entered or left the castle withour permission. Also known as the door-ward. * Reeve: supervised the work on lord's property. He checked that everyone began and stopped work on time, and insured nothing was stolen. Senior officer of a borough. * Sapper: an unskilled person who dug a mine or approach tunnel. * Scullions: responsible for washing and cleaning in the kitchen. * Shearmen: a person who trimmed the cloth during its manufacture. * Shoemaker: a craftsman who made shoes. Known also as Cordwainers. * Spinster: a name given to a woman who earned her living spinning yarn. Later this was expanded and any unmarried woman was called a spinster. * Steward: took care of the estate and domestic administration. Supervised the household and events in the great hall. Also referred to as a Seneschal. * Squire:attained at the age of 14 while training as a knight. He would be assigned to a knight to carry and care for the weapons and horse. * Watchmen: an official at the castle responsible for security. Assited by lookouts (the garrison). * Weaver:someone who cleaned and compacted cloth, in association with the Walker and Fuller. * Woodworkers: tradesmen called Board-hewers who worked in the forest, producing joists

What did people sleep on in the medieval castles?

Cots for the richer and benches for the poorer. The richest slept on beds.

What was the first castle William the Conqueror made?

each castle looked different , but the first castle was a very important one i'm very sorry but all i know is that it would be made out of stone, have lots of curtains and expensive cloth fro the beds - and very very unhygenic thank you! It's "The Tower of London"

Why were castles built during the middle ages?

Medieval lords and kings began to build castles just at the time the Carolingian Empire was beginning to collapse, under the pressure of raids by Vikings, Magyars, and Spanish Muslims. The national government was no longer able to stop these raids, or even respond to them, so it became important for the local lords to be able to do so. A castle was the best defense for the purpose.

A medieval castle had some of the same elements as the older Roman castra. It differed in the basic layout. The Roman castra had a square plan, surrounded by walls with gates, built on level land. The castle had a large open area called a bailey, at the foot of a mound called a motte, with both surrounded by walls. ON the motte was a keep, which was strongly fortified and contained storage for provisions. The bailey kept out small groups of raiders, but the keep was the place of refuge in an all-out attack. This newer design was both more versatile and more secure.

Where did King Henry VIII live?

Henry had many palaces which he lived in; these included Greenwich (where he was born), Richmond and many others.

Henry VIII's primary residence later became Hampton Court Palace, but Henry lived in a number of palaces including the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Eltham Palace, St James Palace, Westminster Palace, and occasionally Dover castle.
Windsor Castle & Hampton Court Whitehall, Richmond, Hampton Court only after he acquired it from Wolsey. His favourite home was Greenwich, then spelled Grenewich. He loved it there and kept the royal barge moored there so he could use the Thames to travel back and forth.

More information can be found in a forthcoming book, I Diced With God ... the life of Henry VIII which will answer all these questions and many more. Look out for it this summer.