What part of the castle's structure help in its defense?

Battlements were stone walls along the top of the castle used for defense. Soldiers could take cover behind raised sections called merlons and fire arrows from the lowered sections called crenels.

1. How did castles defend themselves?
2. Which parts of the castle protected it?
3. What was the castle's most important defensive feature?
4. How were Motte and Bailey castles defended?
5. How were castles attacked and defended in medieval times?
6. What are the round parts of a castle called?
7. Which five are parts of a castle?
8. How did Windsor Castle defend itself?
9. What was the range of an archer protecting a castle?
10. Why would your castle provide good defense during a siege?
11. How did motte and bailey castles help control England?
12. What are the features of motte and bailey castles?
13. What was the purpose of motte and bailey castles?

How did castles defend themselves?

The top of the castle walls were the battlements, a protective, tooth shaped parapet often with a wall walk behind it for the soldiers to stand on. The defenders could fire missiles through gaps (crenels). The raised sections between, called merlons, helped to shelter the defenders during an enemy attack.

Which parts of the castle protected it?

The Curtain Wall is a strong wall built around the outside of the castle. It protected the keep and the bailey from attack. There were only a few doors in the walls around the castle, and they were usually very tall so that attackers couldn't climb over them!

What was the castle's most important defensive feature?

Walls. One of the most important features in a castle was its walls. Whether made of wood, stone or brick, they provided a barrier to enemy attackers.

How were Motte and Bailey castles defended?

A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle situated on a raised earthwork and surrounded by a ditch and protective fence. ... The bailey was an outer enclosure, which was also defended by a fence and sometimes a ditch, providing a first, outer line of defence for the motte.

How were castles attacked and defended in medieval times?

Ladders were used by those attacking a castle to climb over the walls and fight the castle inhabitants within the castle walls. ... The Belfry was a large structure on wheels that could be pushed up to the castle walls. Ladders inside the Belfry allowed attackers to climb to the top under cover and get into the castle.

What are the round parts of a castle called?

In architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower; Latin: turris, tower) is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle.

Which five are parts of a castle?

There were various medieval castle parts that made up a castle which included moats, ramparts, walls, turrets, towers, look outs, and gatehouse.

How did Windsor Castle defend itself?

Windsor castle defenses

The castle is made up of a lower, middle and upper ward. The middle ward was the most fortified because it contained the main keep. Each wall and tower had Arrow loops in order for the defending archers to have an easier time targeting enemy attackers.

What was the range of an archer protecting a castle?

A good crossbow, when wielded by an expert archer, could shoot as far as 400 yards. This meant that good archers on a castle's walls could effectively withstand an army far larger than their number.

Why would your castle provide good defense during a siege?

Aside from slowing down attackers and prolonging a siege, staged defences often allowed the different layers to support each other: for example, concentric castles typically had inner walls that were higher than the outer walls, allowing archers or crossbowmen on both walls to engage attacking besiegers simultaneously.

How did motte and bailey castles help control England?

Wooden motte and bailey castles helped William to quickly control the English BUT they burned easily and they rotted. Later castles were built from stone. These stone castles were impressive and showed everyone the baron was in charge and it was also a safe place from which to rule the local area.

What are the features of motte and bailey castles?

A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade.

What was the purpose of motte and bailey castles?

Motte and bailey castles were a form of castle structure that enabled the new Norman conquerors of England and Wales to secure areas of land quickly and cheaply. The Normans needed a castle design they could erect quickly to subdue the vanquished Britons.