What did every medieval castle have?

The typical features of a medieval castle were: Moat - a perimeter ditch with or without water. Barbican - a fortification to protect a gate. Curtain Walls & Towers - the perimeter defensive wall.



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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. They typically included wall walks, which were used by the defenders to resist attempts to scale the walls or to shoot missiles at the besiegers.

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Four primary castle designs mark the period; Motte and Bailey, Shell keep, Stone keep, and Concentric; however, sub-types, such as Square Stone keep and Round Stone keep emerged over the years.

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The typical features of a medieval castle were: Moat - a perimeter ditch with or without water. Barbican - a fortification to protect a gate. Curtain Walls & Towers - the perimeter defensive wall.

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The weakest part of the castle's defenses was the entrance. To secure access to the castle, drawbridges, ditches and moats provided physical barriers to entry.

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The wall exhibits features common to castle architecture: a gatehouse, corner towers, and machicolations. A keep was a great tower and usually the most strongly defended point of a castle before the introduction of concentric defence.

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After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.

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Top 10 Facts About Castles!
  • Castles were built to defend! ...
  • Castles were often surrounded by moats with a drawbridge. ...
  • Towers and turrets were perfect for guards to keep watch. ...
  • The keep was the safest place to be. ...
  • Castles were bustling and full of people! ...
  • Knights would defend the castle. ...
  • Castles had beautiful gardens.


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external features - such as towers battlements, thick walls, a moat, a drawbridge, etc. internal features - such as a well, large stores to guard against siege, a hall for everyone to socialise.

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In the chamber – the more private rooms of the castle – there were beds with curtains, giving an extra layer of warmth, and these rooms largely had fireplaces. When there were no fireplaces rooms were heated with moveable fire stands.

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The keep was the most essential part of a castle and could be defended even after castle walls had been breached. Keeps were originally called donjons, the French term for stronghold. The basement was sometimes used as a prison or dungeon, which became too easily confused with donjon, so the term keep was adopted.

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The most important room in a castle was the Great Hall. This is where all the members of the household sat down to eat at tables set up for every meal. It was where feasts were held for special days, or when there were guests. King Arthur's Pentecost Feast takes place in such a Hall.

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In the medieval period luxury castles were built with indoor toilets known as 'garderobes', and the waste dropped into a pit below.

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When it comes to horrible jobs in a castle, gong farmer has to win the prize. Gong farmers, also known as nightmen, were responsible for cleaning out human excrement from the cesspits within the castle walls.

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Over the centuries around 23 different siege attempts were made on Edinburgh Castle – making it the most besieged place in Europe.

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Particularly large towers are often the strongest point of the castle: the keep or the bergfried. As the gate is always a vulnerable point of a castle, towers may be built near it to strengthen the defences at this point.

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