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.