Is a keep a tower?

A keep (from the Middle English kype) is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility.

Where is a tower called keep?

Keeps are tall towers. They’re typically located on the opposite side of the bailey to the gatehouse, or in the centre of the castle. Early keeps, like the castles they stood in, were designed to intimidate the locals. They were also called donjons, from the Latin dominus – lord, or master.

What is the purpose of a keep?

The Keep was the inner stronghold of the castle. It was usually either square or round. The keep was the center of castle life, often serving as the lord’s residence, and was usually the place of last refuge when defending the castle.

What is the purpose of a keep in a castle?

A medieval castle keep was a kind of fortified tower that had central importance in the defence of the castle. It also served the purpose of imprisoning political prisoners since it was considered one of the most impenetrable castle parts.

What was the weakest point of a castle?

The entrance to the castle was always its weakest point. Drawbridges could be pulled up, preventing access across moats. Tall gate towers meant that defenders could shoot down in safety at attacks below. The main gate or door to the castle was usually a thick, iron-studded wooden door, that was hard to break through.

What is a Don John in a castle?

donjon, orkeep, Most heavily fortified area of a medieval castle, usually a tower, to which the occupants could retire during a siege.

What did a castle keep look like?

A keep could be square or rectangular and often had its own small towers or turrets on top; alternatively, some were polygonal, had one curved wall, or were fully round which gave defenders an unimpeded 360-degree view.

What is inside a keep?

The keep and the auxiliary buildings that supported castle life varied from castle to castle. Sometimes buildings (like the chapel, great hall and kitchens) were integrated into the keep, and sometimes they were separated. The keep was the main residence of the ruling lord.

What are the holes in a castle wall called?

An embrasure is the opening in a battlement between the two raised solid portions, referred to as crenel or crenelle in a space hollowed out throughout the thickness of a wall by the establishment of a bay.

Why did lords stop building castles out of wood and start using stone?

However, the timber castles did have disadvantages. They were very vulnerable to attacks using fire and the wood would eventually start to rot. Due to these disadvantages, King William ordered that castles should be built in stone. Many of the original timber castles were replaced with stone castles.

What is the bailey in a castle?

A bailey is the sturdy wall around a castle that keeps invaders out. The bailey of a medieval castle was usually built of stone. You might see a bailey — or the remains of one — if you tour a castle in England or France.

What is the difference between a keep and a tower house?

A tower house would typically be a tall, square, stone-built, crenelated building; Scottish and Ulster tower houses were often also surrounded by a barmkyn or bawn wall. Most academics have concluded that tower houses should not be classified as keeps but rather as a form of fortified house.

What is the difference between a keep and a castle?

Castles provides housing for royal families, it’s not a construction with a big yard in the middle. I’d say that t’s a stronghold, yards like that were used for military training. The “keep” is usually a smaller fortification within the castle walls (or simply connected to the castle).

What is the difference between a keep and a fortress?

So everything within the walls is a fortress. The keep is the central building within the fortress. Technically a stronghold is the exact same thing as a fortress and a castle is also a type of fortress, although typically only enclosing buildings of political or military interest, but not strictly defined as such…

Why were tower keeps so popular in England?

Meanwhile, tower keeps in England became popular amongst the most wealthy nobles: these large keeps, each uniquely designed, formed part of the grandest castles built during the period. In the 15th century, the protective function of keeps was compromised by improved artillery.