What is an allure in a castle?

What is an allure in a castle?

Castle & Siege Terminology. Allure – Wall-walk, passage behind the parapet of a castle wall. Arrow Loop – A narrow vertical slit cut into a wall through which arrows could be fired.

What are the up and down bits on a castle called?

The raised parts are called cops or merlons, the indentations embrasures or crenelles. Also, you can read the entry for battlement in the 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. You can also take a look at a page all about parts of castles in the Middle Ages for some related vocabulary.

What is a battlement in a castle?

: a parapet with open spaces that surmounts a wall and is used for defense or decoration.

What is a medieval castle keep?

keep, English term corresponding to the French donjon for the strongest portion of the fortification of a castle, the place of last resort in case of siege or attack. The keep was either a single tower or a larger fortified enclosure.

What does a medieval castle need?

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.

What is a buttery in a castle?

A buttery was originally a large cellar room under a monastery, in which food and drink were stored for the provisioning of strangers and passing guests. At larger monasteries there would also be a basic hostelry, where travellers could sleep for free.

What is a Bailey in a castle?

A bailey or ward in a fortification is a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a motte-and-bailey.

What’s the top of a castle called?

battlement
A battlement is the upper walled part of a castle or fortress. It’s usually formed out of a low, narrow wall on top of the outermost protective wall of a fortress or castle. The word ”battlement” traces to an old French term that means tower or turret, and the original use of battlements was for protection.

What are the slits in castles called?

An arrowslit (often also referred to as an arrow loop, loophole or loop hole, and sometimes a balistraria) is a narrow vertical aperture in a fortification through which an archer can launch arrows or a crossbowman can launch bolts.

What is medieval keep?

What was the purpose of the allure of a castle?

Allure The allure is the wall-walk found at the top of a curtain wall and is normally found on the inside of the wall. This allowed guards to look over the top of the wall to look for enemies. An important function of a castle was to store weapons for use in war or in times of attack.

How does the wall walk work in medieval times?

This allowed guards to look over the top of the wall to look for enemies. The wall-walk is reached either from a set of stairs running up the inside of the wall, or from a tower built into the wall. Allures also occur on the outside of the walls.

Why did people wear gems in medieval times?

For medieval and Renaissance viewers of manuscripts and wearers of jewelry, precious stones were not only beautiful. Worn correctly, gems were thought to harness “virtues” or powers to protect their owners from harm.

Why was art so popular in the Middle Ages?

Victorian artists, writers, and thinkers turned to medieval motifs found in manuscripts and material culture to harken back to a time thought to be more pious. To some, the Middle Ages were a golden moment when painters approached their art with a meticulous precision for natural details.