What are castles made of ks1?

What are castles made of ks1?

Motte and bailey castles were first built with wood, and then replaced with stone keeps and walls because stone is a stronger material. It doesn’t burn like wood does, and it is more difficult to knock down a stone wall than a wooden wall. Many people lived at the castle, not just kings and nobles.

What things would you find in a castle?

Below are the main rooms found in medieval castles and large manor houses.

• The Great Hall.
• Bed Chambers.
• Solars.
• Bathrooms, Lavatories and Garderobes.
• Kitchens, Pantries, Larders & Butteries.
• Gatehouses and Guardrooms.
• Chapels & Oratories.
• Cabinets and Boudoirs.

How do you defend and attack a castle?

How to defend a castle

1. Building up high. Building a castle up high made it difficult for enemies to get to the castle.
2. Tall towers. Strong towers were added to curtain walls to watch out for enemies.
3. Battlements. Battlements were walls on the roof of a castle.
4. Arrow slits.
5. Moat.
6. Drawbridge.
7. Portcullis.
8. Dungeons.

What are the advantages of a stone castle?

Stone castles were built taller and gave better protection against attack, fire and cold rainy weather. How have stone castles improved over the years, and why? Stone castles replaced the motte and bailey castles but the stone castles also changed over time.

What are the key features of a stone keep Castle?

A stone keep was the central feature, with thick walls and few windows. Entrance to the keep was by stone steps leading to the first floor. The kitchens were situated on the ground floor while living quarters were on the upper floors. The first keeps were rectangular in shape but later ones were often circular.

What is a castle keep used for?

Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the castle fall to an adversary.

How thick were stone keep castle walls?

The new stone wall of a shell keep, either circular or polygonal, could be 3-3.5 metres (10-12 ft) thick and 4.5-9 metres (15-30 ft) high.

What are the weaknesses of a concentric castle?

At a glance: the disadvantages of concentric castles

• They were phenomenally expensive to build – this can’t be overstated!
• They took significant time to build – they needed years, rather than just weeks for basic motte-and-bailey castle.

Where is the best place to build a castle?

Castle Location near Rivers Many medieval castles, such as those commissioned by Norman King William following his Conquest of England, were built near rivers. This was an excellent strategic location for building castles because a river provided a natural defence for the castle.

Where are castles usually located?

Location: Most castles were designed to defend a location. So they were usually located on top of a hill or at the ford of a river, or entrance to a bay or harbor. But the preferred location was at the highest point around, so if there was a hill the castle went on top.

Why are castles built near rivers?

A clear view of enemy ships sailing up the river would give time to prepare an army before they threaten you. There is a safe point to build a bridge across the river. The river would provide water for drinking, farming, washing etc.

What were the different parts of a castle?

The Key Features and Parts of a Castle

• The Keep. The keep was a strong tower located at the centre of a castle.
• Curtain Wall. The curtain wall was a defensive wall built to protect the bailey (see below) of a castle.
• The Bailey. The bailey was the courtyard area around the keep, protected by the curtain wall.
• Moat.
• Battlements.
• Drawbridge.
• Portcullis.
• Arrowslits.

What two main purposes did castles serve in feudal Europe?

Example: Protection and defense were the two main reasons medieval castles were built.

How is a moat made?

A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices.

How deep is a castle moat?

between 5 and 40 feet deep