Writing Reference: Parts Of A Castle

Writing Reference: Parts of a Castle

View of the Godesburg and the Seven Mountains (detail)
Karl Bodmer
c. 1836

Arrow slits - Defenders could fire arrows out, but attackers could not shoot in through these narrow holes.

Banners - Showed the symbol of the lord and his king.

Battlements - Defenders standing here could bombard attackers while staying sheltered.

Blacksmith - Skilled metalworkers provided armor, weapons, and other equipment.

Curtain wall - Thick stone walls kept the castle’s inhabitants safe from attack.

Drawbridge - This wooden bridge could be raised to cut off access to the gate.

Dungeon - Prisoners could be locked away underground, with no hope of escape.

Entranceway - A single narrow entrance meant attackers could only approach one at a time.

Gardens - Grew vegetables to eat in case of siege.

Gatehouse - The castle entrance was heavily defended. It was often built as a narrow tunnel with wood or iron gates at either end. Holes in the ceiling (murder holes) could be used to pour boiling oil or water on attackers in the tunnel.

Gatehouse towers - Towers on either side of the gatehouse allowed defenders to rain arrows, stones, or boiling water on anyone attacking.

Great hall - The feasting room, where the lord would hold banquets for his knights and guests.

Lord’s chambers - The lord and his family had private rooms in the strongest part of the castle, known as the solar.

Moat - Cut into the rock and often filled by diverting a nearby stream, the moat kept attackers away from the walls.

Postern gate - A side door acted as an emergency exit in case the castle was ever conquered.

Towers - Circular towers allowed defenders to fire arrows in any direction.

During peacetime, a castle was home to the lord, his family and servants, and guards known as men-at-arms. Many castles were like little villages inside, with kitchens, blacksmiths, gardens, stables, and a chapel. If they were attacked, the people inside had everything they needed to survive until help came.

Source More References: Medieval Period ⚜ Worldbuilding ⚜ Plot ⚜ Character

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