What are the thin windows in a castle called?

Hi susanna – usually the outer walls of the castle or fortress don’t really have “windows” but small openings, usually for arrows or other weapons. These are called “arrowslits” or “embrasures.”

What windows do castles have?

Renaissance windows were added to many medieval castles. Early windows were not large, and often were not glazed. They would have wooden shutters or perhaps a kind of waxed paper to let in the light. Early windows often had stone seats built into the castle walls next to them.

Why did castles have small windows?

Because every window is a hole where enemy can shoot in. The castles were essentially military installations. You don’t see too many windows in modern fortifications, bunkers and gunnery positions either. This is basic military engineering; do not create enemy opportunities to get you.

What are parts of a castle called?

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

What is a portcullis in a castle?

Definition of portcullis : a grating of iron hung over the gateway of a fortified place and lowered between grooves to prevent passage.

What is on the second floor of a castle?

The bath/shower-room is located on the Second Floor Return (between Bedroom 2 and the Great Room).

What are rushes in a castle?

During the Middle Ages the floors of most churches and dwellings consisted of compacted earth, and rushes (commonly “sweet flag” Acorus calamus) or other herbs and grasses were strewn over them to provide a sweet smelling, renewable covering for insulation.

Why were medieval windows so small?

Medieval Era Most Anglo-Saxon houses were made of wood, so windows were little more than holes in the wall. Windows were simply incorporated to enable light to come into the home, and animal skins would have been put in front of the window for insulation.

Why did they put straw on castle floors?

The herbs were laid on the floor along with reeds, rushes, or straw, so that pleasant odours would be released when people walked on them. In a typical medieval English monastery, for instance, the floor of the dormitory would have been strewn with rushes that were swept and replaced once or twice a year.

What are tops of castles called?

In architecture, a battlement is a structure on top of castle or fortress walls that protects from attack. Historically, battlements were usually narrow walls at the top of the outermost walls of a castle. Battlements have several important parts. The short, topmost part of the wall was called the parapet.

What is the main part of a castle called?

At the heart of a castle is its tower, known as the keep. The number of floors within the keep depended on its size and the wealth of its owner. All Keeps contained a large room known as the Great Hall. The enclosed area between the inside of the wall and the keep.