DOCSLIB.ORG

Medieval Castle Information Booklet

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Medieval Castle Information Booklet Medieval Castle Information Booklet. Aim: To produce an information booklet about a medieval castle of your choice. The booklet will contain a mixture of information about the castle you have chosen and information about the general changes made to medieval castles over time. Some information will be special to your castle and sometimes it will be about castles in general – this is fine. If you follow the boxes below, it should be straightforward. Presentation: You can present your work in a variety of ways: writing, pictures, diagrams and maps – there is no right or wrong way of doing this, simply present the information in your favourite way. The work must be handed in clearly named and with the teacher and teaching group also clearly indicated. All pages need to be secured either with either staples, paper clips, spine binder or be in a soft wallet-style folder. Please, no hard backed folders. Please do not ‘cut and paste’ information from the internet. The questions have been designed in such a way that ‘cutting and pasting’ information will not answer them. You may however cut and paste pictures and diagrams. Task One: Choosing a castle to study. (Max. 35 minutes) Using the library or the internet to choose a medieval castle to study. Pick a castle that has plenty of information about it – some even feature on ‘You-Tube’. Choosing a local castle is a good idea. You could even visit it as part of your investigation. Our local suggestions are: Bodiam Castle, Canterbury Castle, Dover Castle, Rochester Castle or Tonbridge Castle. (Do not do Leeds Castle as it is very complicated ) Task Two: Introduction. (Max. 35 minutes) General: In the introduction you need to describe / explain why and where castles were built. Think about the new king and the problems he had to deal with. You can include a map to show where he built them. Special to your castle: At this point you can introduce your castle, saying where it is and when it was built. Optional challenge: You may see a pattern to when and where the castles were built. You could comment on this and include your thoughts and opinions about what you see. Task Three: Stages of development (Max. 35 minutes) General: You will find that the first castles were motte and bailey castles, none of which have survived. Describe a motte and bailey castle, include their key features and their advantages and disadvantages (good and bad points). You could include a clear labelled diagram to help you. As no motte and bailey castles have survived it is unlikely that your castle is this type of castle, so you will need to describe and explain the next types of castles: the stone keep castle and the concentric castle. Say what their key features were and why they had them. Special to your castle: At this point you need to decide which type of castle your castle is. Say which type it is and what clues there are to make you think your castle is that type. It is a good idea to provide some evidence to prove this. You could label a picture of the castle to show the key design features. You could comment of the usefulness of the design. Optional challenge: You may see that some things have gone, some have stayed the same and others have been improved over time. You could comment on these and include your thoughts about them. Why did the design of castles keep changing? Optional Double challenge. Where did the builders get their new ideas from? Task Four: Defending a castle (Max. 35 minutes) General: Start with the motte and bailey castles, stone keeps and then concentric castles. How were they designed to protect the people inside? Make sure that you have mentioned the following: arrow slits, drawbridge, crenulation (battlements), gatehouse, moat, murder holes, palisade and spiral stairs. Pick at least three to explain how they worked. Diagrams or labelled pictures are always helpful. Special to your castle: Look closely at your castle. How does your castle keep the people inside safe? Did it ever have to protect the people inside, if so, how did it do so? Optional challenge: You could compare some of these features and say which ones you think were the better at keeping the people inside safe. You can also consider why the castle designs kept changing and which design you think was the best for keeping the people inside safe / the hardest to get into. Do any features stay the same? Task 5: Attacking a castle (Max. 35 minutes) General: Look back at the three main types of castle again and describe / explain how each type could be attacked. Remember to mention the following weapons and methods of attack: siege tower, trebuchet, mangonel, long bow, battering ram, scaling ladder, cross bow, mining and siege. Pick at least three to explain in detail. Special to your castle: Was your castle ever attacked? If so, when and what happened? What did the people inside do? Who won? How did it get attacked? Optional challenge: Give your opinion as to which weapons worked best on which type of castle. What were the advantages and disadvantages of some of these weapons? Optional Mega Challenge: Is it possible that the changes in weapons and the changes in castle design are linked? Which do you think are the cause and consequence – did the change in design cause new weapons to be invented or did the new weapons mean that new castle designs were needed? Task 6: Living in a castle (Max. 35 minutes) General: Research the type of people who lived and worked in a castle. A castle had many functions; it was a home as well as a fortress. Most castles were the home of a local lord, from which he controlled the land around the castle. Some were royal castles, while others simply held a garrison of soldiers. You may want to say what and how they ate, how and where they slept, entertained, bathed, kept themselves warm and even how they went to the toilet! Special to your castle: In this section you can tell us about the people who lived in your castle, who were they and any ‘stories’ about them. Optional challenge: You may want to divide this section into those who lived in the castle and those who worked in the castle. You could compare the lives of the rich to those of the poor, of men to women. Who would you have liked to have been? Task 7: The decline of the castle (Max. 35 minutes) General: In this section you need to think about the reasons why castles are no longer used. Most have crumbled into ruins and those that are still used now tend to be used as tourist attractions, very luxurious homes, hotels or wedding venues etc. Can you give an explanation why this may have happened? Special to your castle: What happened to your castle? How is it being used now? Optional Challenge: Which reason do you think was the most important reason for the decline of castles? How are castles being used today? Task 8: Evaluation and Conclusion (Max. 35 minutes) How similar or different was your castle to other medieval castles? Did it surprise you in any way? Do you feel you understand the role and importance of your castle more than you did before? .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Castle Designs Through History: from Simple Mounds to Strong Towers
    https://www.exploring-castles.com/castle_designs/ Castle Designs Through History: From Simple Mounds to Strong Towers Castle designs have changed over history. This is because of changes in technology over time – as well as changes to the function and purpose of castles. The first castles were simply ‘mounds’ of earth, and medieval castle designs improved on these basics – adding ditches in the Motte & Bailey design. As technology advanced – and as attackers got more sophisticated – elaborate concentric castle designs emerged, creating a fortress almost impregnable to its enemies. Nowadays, castles are designed for prestige, for fantasy, and to embellish a romantic view of the life of kings, queens and nobles from years gone by. This page gives a brief overview of the history of castles, and explains why different castle designs came about. Fundamentally, these changing designs were due to the changes in the purpose and significance of castles. Early Medieval Times From Norman Times: Motte & Bailey Castles – Simple designs that were quick to build The first castles, built in the Early Middle Ages (early Medieval period), were ‘earthworks’ – mounds of earth primarily built for defence, as enemies struggled to climb them. During the 1000s, the Normans developed these into Motte and Bailey castle designs. Effectively, a ‘Motte’ was a large mound of earth, and a ‘Bailey’ was the flattened area beside the mound. The ‘Motte’ could be surrounded with a ditch, and buildings could be placed on the bailey – made of timber or, if time permitted, stone. The key benefit of Motte & Bailey castles was that they were very quick to build, but pretty difficult to attack.
    [Show full text]
  • Fish Terminologies
    FISH TERMINOLOGIES Monument Type Thesaurus Report Format: Hierarchical listing - class Notes: Classification of monument type records by function.
    [Show full text]
  • Key Stage 1 Cool Castles
    Key Stage 1 Cool Castles Sources https://www.twinkl.co.uk/search?term=castle https://content.twinkl.co.uk/resource/06/9e/t -t-100-castles-and-knights-word- mat https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/castles Castle Challenge! Castles have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. Some castles are ruins with only small parts of them left standing. Some castles have people living in them today or are open to the public so we can learn more about their history. Have a go at the castle challenges below. If you like to add extra challenge, set yourself a time-limit for each one. 2 Minute Challenge Make a list of ALL the films, books and games you know that have a castle in them 5 Minute Challenge Make a list of the names of any castles you know 10 Minute Challenge Look at the castle picture in your pack. What do you notice? How many things on the picture can you label? Where has the castle been built? What are the different stalls selling in the market place? What trades (jobs) do you think the stall holders (people selling things) do? Cool Castles Word Mat Look at this castle word mat (from Twinkl). How many of the words do you already know? Challenge – can you see any of the words on your Castle Poster? Label any you can find. All about Castles 1 What are castles? Castles are a type of home . They were built to protect the people inside. The most important person in the castle was the lord.
    [Show full text]
  • The Norman Conquest Learning Objective: to Understand Chronology, Sources and Factors Through the History of the Norman Conquest of England
    Year 7) Term 2A: The Norman Conquest Learning objective: To understand chronology, sources and factors through the history of the Norman Conquest of England. What do I need to know about William and his coronation as king? KEYWORDS: • The coronation of William of Normandy on Christmas Day 1066. Chronology = events put in the • How Anglo-Saxon people reacted to the new Norman king. order that they happened. • What William wanted to do next. Sources = evidence from the past. What do I need to know about the Norman Conquest? Interpretations = a persons • How William created a Feudal System hierarchy. opinion on a historical event. • How William used the Domesday Book to collect information. Key events/people: • How William created Motte & Bailey Castles to scare the English. William the Conqueror/William • How the Bayeux Tapestry controlled history. of Normandy The Feudal System What do I need to know about the Harrying of the North? The Domesday Book • Why William decided to launch an attack on the North. Motte & Bailey Castles • What tactics William used when attacking the North. The Bayeux Tapestry • How England changed under the reign of William of Normandy. The Harrying of the North 25 December 1066 AD 1067-86 AD 1069 AD William is coroneted as Motte & Bailey castles are created and William launches an assault on the Northern rebels: The King of England. the Domesday Book is completed. Harrying of the North begins and ends. What first-order concepts do I need to learn below? Hint: remember! A first-order concept is a word historians use to describe facts related to events.
    [Show full text]
  • UT180 Citadels of Power Bklt.Qxp
    Citadels of Power: The Castle in History and Archaeology Professor Thomas J. Finan Saint Louis University Recorded Books™ is a trademark of Recorded Books, LLC. All rights reserved. Citadels of Power: The Castle in History and Archaeology Professor Thomas J. Finan Executive Editor Donna F. Carnahan RECORDING Producer - David Markowitz Director - Ian McCulloch COURSE GUIDE Editor - James Gallagher Design - Edward White Lecture content ©2011 by Thomas J. Finan Course guide ©2011 by Recorded Books, LLC 72010 by Recorded Books, LLC Cover image: Doonagore Castle near Doolin in County Clare, Ireland © Shutterstock.com #UT180 ISBN: 978-1-4498-4969-6 All beliefs and opinions expressed in this audio/video program and accompanying course guide are those of the author and not of Recorded Books, LLC, or its employees. Course Syllabus Citadels of Power: The Castle in History and Archaeology About Your Professor.......................................................................................4 Introduction....................................................................................................5 Lecture 1 What Is a Castle? Why Study a Castle? ........................................6 Lecture 2 Earthen and Timber Castles ......................................................10 Lecture 3 Building a Castle.......................................................................13 Lecture 4 The Norman Stone Keep...........................................................17 Lecture 5 The Concentric Castle ..............................................................21
    [Show full text]
  • Bridge of Civilizations the Near East and Europe C
    Bridge of Civilizations The Near East and Europe c. 1100–1300 edited by Peter Edbury, Denys Pringle and Balázs Major Archaeopress Publishing Ltd Summertown Pavilion 18-24 Middle Way Summertown Oxford OX2 7LG www.archaeopress.com ISBN 978-1-78969-327-0 ISBN 978-1-78969-328-7 (e-Pdf) © the individual authors and Archaeopress 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owners. Printed in England by Printed Word Publishing This book is available direct from Archaeopress or from our website www.archaeopress.com Contents Notes on Contributors �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ix Introduction ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xiii Castles and Warfare 1� Constructing a Medieval Fortification in Syria: Margat between 1187 and 1285 ���������������1 Balázs Major 2� Applying the Most Recent Technologies in Archaeological and Architectural Documentation at Margat ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 23 Bendegúz Takáts 3� Al-Marqab Citadel (Margat): Present Possibilities and Future Prospects ������������������������� 35 Marwan Hassan 4� New Research on the Medieval Water-Management System of Crac des Chevaliers �������� 54 Zsolt Vágner and Zsófia E. Csóka 5� The
    [Show full text]
  • The Tower of London and Its Defences
    The tower of London and its defences The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, is a very famous castle that has been developed over nine hundred years. It has had various uses and functions during this time and the existing structures and artefacts show the history, development and importance of this castle. Being nearly a millennium old, this castle is not only the most ancient prison in England but the oldest fortress and royal palace as well. It is surprising that it mostly unscathed; this is due to its tactical concentric defences. Aerial photograph of The Tower of London today Type of Castle The Tower of London could fit into three categories of types of castle: Concentric, Norman Stone Keep and Motte and Bailey. The castle has developed over time to include the three categories. It started off its journey as a humble Motte and Bailey before it was developed using stone. Once progression was made to do with the material, it adopted the style of a Norman Stone Keep. The White Tower which stills stands today was the central keep. Over time, the walls around the tower became robust and plentiful. This meant it could be classified as a concentric castle. The History The castle was built by William the Conqueror after he was crowned. The very first foundations were laid in 1078, based on a plan introduced in 1066, following the Norman invasion of England. William chose this place because the remains of a previous castle, built 1000 years earlier by a Roman Emperor were a key defence structure.
    [Show full text]
  • Foxe's Book of Martyrs
    FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS CHAPTER I - History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions Under Nero Christ our Savior, in the Gospel of St. Matthew, hearing the confession of Simon Peter, who, first of all other, openly acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, and perceiving the secret hand of His Father therein, called him (alluding to his name) a rock, upon which rock He would build His Church so strong that the gates of hell should not prevail against it. In which words three things are to be noted: First, that Christ will have a Church in this world. Secondly, that the same Church should mightily be impugned, not only by the world, but also by the uttermost strength and powers of all hell. And, thirdly, that the same Church, notwithstanding the uttermost of the devil and all his malice, should continue. Which prophecy of Christ we see wonderfully to be verified, insomuch that the whole course of the Church to this day may seem nothing else but a verifying of the said prophecy. First, that Christ hath set up a Church, needeth no declaration. Secondly, what force of princes, kings, monarchs, governors, and rulers of this world, with their subjects, publicly and privately, with all their strength and cunning, have bent themselves against this Church! And, thirdly, how the said Church, all this notwithstanding, hath yet endured and holden its own! What storms and tempests it hath overpast, wondrous it is to behold: for the more evident declaration whereof, I have addressed this present history, to the end, first, that the wonderful works of God in His Church might appear to His glory; also that, the continuance and proceedings of the Church, from time to time, being set forth, more knowledge and experience may redound thereby, to the profit of the reader and edification of Christian faith.
    [Show full text]
  • Dragon Magazine #201
    Seven Steps to a Successful Castle Building a castle by the numbers by L. Richard Baker III Cartography by John Knecht Do you plan to build a castle soon? forlorn tower, every cleric her fortified If you have a D&D® game temple, and every warrior a castle to call character above 8th level, you should be his own. The challenge of designing and thinking about it. The castle is often the building a stronghold can add a whole new drowning point of a character's career, the dimension to a campaign. sign of prestige and power that marks her The castle-building system described in success. Every powerful wizard has his the following pages lest you decide just how to put your characters fortress to- Tech describes the technological level 15 X 15 cellar. These chambers make gether. When you finish, youll have a required to build a castle module of that good storerooms or latrines. basic plan of your keep as well as an excel- type. Societies with crude stone-working Stone walls are assumed to be capped by lent idea of how much it costs and how capabilities will be very limited in what a parapet. This is an open-air, crenallated long it will take to build. Be warned: Even they can construct. Tech levels are rated battlement with an outer wall 2 thick, the simplest castle design can cost 50,000 from 1 to 8: broken by merlons. This means that a gold pieces! Building a castle is a serious l-Early wooden construction stone wall is solid on the ground level, but financial proposition.
    [Show full text]
  • The Archaeology of Castle Slighting in the Middle Ages
    The Archaeology of Castle Slighting in the Middle Ages Submitted by Richard Nevell, to the University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Archaeology in October 2017. This thesis is available for Library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. Signature: ……………………………………………………………………………… Abstract Medieval castle slighting is the phenomenon in which a high-status fortification is demolished in a time of conflict. At its heart are issues about symbolism, the role of castles in medieval society, and the politics of power. Although examples can be found throughout the Middle Ages (1066–1500) in England, Wales and Scotland there has been no systematic study of the archaeology of castle slighting. Understanding castle slighting enhances our view of medieval society and how it responded to power struggles. This study interrogates the archaeological record to establish the nature of castle slighting: establishing how prevalent it was chronologically and geographically; which parts of castles were most likely to be slighted and why this is significant; the effects on the immediate landscape; and the wider role of destruction in medieval society. The contribution of archaeology is especially important as contemporary records give little information about this phenomenon. Using information recovered from excavation and survey allows this thesis to challenge existing narratives about slighting, especially with reference to the civil war between Stephen and Matilda (1139–1154) and the view that slighting was primarily to prevent an enemy from using a fortification.
    [Show full text]
  • Aa Box ABATTOIR ABBEY Abbey Barn Abbey Barn Abbey Bridge Abbey Bridge Abbey Church Abbey Church Abbey Gate Abbey Gate Abbey Gate
    Aa Box Abbey Bridge USE : MOTORING TELEPHONE BOX USE : ABBEY ABATTOIR Abbey Bridge UF : Slaughter House USE : BRIDGE UF : Butching House BT : FOOD PROCESSING SITE Abbey Church RT : BUTCHERY SITE USE : ABBEY RT : SHAMBLES RT : SMOKE HOUSE Abbey Church RT : GLUE FACTORY USE : CHURCH RT : TANNERY RT : HORSEHAIR FACTORY Abbey Gate SN : A building where animals are slaughtered. USE : ABBEY ABBEY Abbey Gate UF : Benedictine Abbey UF : Arrouiasian Abbey USE : GATE UF : Augustinian Abbey UF : Victorine Abbey Abbey Gatehouse UF : Tironian Abbey USE : GATEHOUSE UF : Savigniac Abbey UF : Premonstratensian Abbey Abbey Gatehouse UF : Franciscan Abbey USE : ABBEY UF : Cistercian Abbey UF : Cluniac Abbey Abbey Kitchen UF : Bridgettine Abbey USE : ABBEY UF : Convent Chapel UF : Abbey Barn Abbey Kitchen UF : Abbey Bridge USE : KITCHEN UF : Abbey Church UF : Abbey Gate Abbey Wall UF : Abbey Gatehouse USE : PRECINCT WALL UF : Abbey Kitchen UF : Independent Abbey UF : Tironensian Abbey Abbots House UF : Conventual Chapel USE : MONASTIC DWELLING UF : Conventual Church UF : Farmery Abbots Lodging BT : RELIGIOUS HOUSE USE : MONASTIC DWELLING RT : ALMONRY RT : GUEST HOUSE ABBOTS PALACE RT : KITCHEN BT : PALACE RT : CHAPTER HOUSE SN : The official residence of an abbot. RT : CATHEDRAL RT : PRECINCT WALL ABBOTS SUMMER PALACE RT : DOUBLE HOUSE BT : PALACE RT : FRIARY RT : BISHOPS SUMMER PALACE RT : MONASTERY SN : An official residence of an abbot during the summer RT : NUNNERY months. RT : PRECEPTORY RT : PRIORY ABLUTIONS BLOCK RT : GATEHOUSE BT : DOMESTIC MILITARY BUILDING RT : REFECTORY BT : WASHING PLACE RT : CONVENT SCHOOL SN : A building housing washing facilities and toilets. The RT : CURFEW BELL TOWER term occurs mainly in a military context.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact Off Crusader Castles Upon European Western Castles
    THE IMPACT OF CRUSADER CASTLES UPON EUROPEAN WESTERN CASTLES IN THE MIDDLE AGES JORDAN HAMPE MAY 2009 A SENIOR PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- LA CROSSE Abstract: During the Middle Ages, the period from roughly AD 1000-1450, the structure of castles changed greatly from wooden motte and bailey to stone keeps and defenses within stone city walls. The reason for the change was largely influenced by the crusades as Europeans went to the Holy Lands to conquer. In addition to conquering, these kings brought back a new way of designing and fortifying their castles in England, Wales and France. Without the influence of the crusades, what we think of as true middle age castles would not exist. For my paper I will analyze the impact the crusades had on forming the middle age castles by evidence surviving in the archaeological record from before and after the crusades as well as modifications done on castles to accommodate crusader changes to show the drastic influence of crusader castle fortifications upon English, Welsh and French castles. 1 Introduction Construction of what is believed to be true middle age castles from A.D. 1000 to 1450 began as kings arrived back from the crusades to the Holy Lands, bringing with them ideas of how to make their castles grander and more easily defensible. Before the crusades William I of England was beginning to develop a new concentric style of castle beginning with the Tower of London. After the crusades many English, Welsh and French kings took the concentric concept and combined it with what they saw on the crusades and developed it to become majestic castles and fortresses like Chateau Gaillard in France, Dover Castle in England, and Caernarvon Castle in Wales.
    [Show full text]