Glossary of Castle Terms

apse
circular or polygonal end of a chapel or tower
arcading
rows of arches supported on columns, either free standing or attached to a wall (blind arches)
arch
self-supporting structure over an opening
architrave
moulding surorunding or framing, a doorway or window
arrow-loop, arrow-slit
long, narrow, vertical openings in a wall or merlon, though which arrows are shot. Round r triangular ends were for cross-bows, as were the rare horizontal slits, sometimes called crosslets.
ashlar
blocks of smooth, squared stone of any kind
astragal
a ba ina window, often wooden, between panes
attic
the top storey entirely within a gables roof
aumbrey
originally almry ‘a place for alms’. A cupboard in a stone wall used to hold sacred vessels for the mass, but later for domestic use
bailey, ward
courtyard within the walls of a castle
ballista
siege engine in the shape of a large bow for shooting missiles, usually iron bolts
balustrate
ornamental parapet of posts and railing
barbican
outward continuation of a gateway or entrace, to defent it.
barmkin
outer defensive walling, Scottish
barrel vault
semicircular roof of stone or wood
bartizan
small turret projecting from the corner or flank of a tower or wall, usually at the top
basement
the lowerst storey of a building sometimes below ground level
bastle house
small tower house with a living room over a byre
batter
a slight inward leaning or tilt of a wall from its base upwards, either to add strength, or to make tunnelling by attacking forces more difficult
bastion
tower or turret projecting from a wall length or at the junction of two walls
batter
slopeing or sploayed part of a wal at ground level, particularly of a tower
battlements, crenellation
the parapet of a tower or wall with indentations or openings (embrasures or crenelles) alternating with solid projectsion (merlons)
bawn
outer defensive walling, Irish
bay
a section or cmpartment of a building
bay window
a window projeting froma builint at ground level, wither retangular or polygonal, of one or more stories.
belfry
tall, moveable wooden tower on wheels, used in sieges
berm
horizontal spave between a curtain or tower and its moat
billet
one of a tow of rectangular blocks raised as an ornament in Norman architecture
boss
a knob or projection to cover the intersection of ribs in a vault
bow window
a bay window, but curved.
brattice
hoarding, a projection from a wallhead, normally built of wood, providing machicolation
broch
a round tower-like structure open in the middle, the double wall of drystone masonry being linked by slabs for form internal galleries at varying levels. FOund in N and W Scotland.
buttress
projecting pillar added to a wall to strengthen it
cable-moulding
a NOrman moulding carved like a length of rope
cap-house
small chamber at the top of a spiral staircase in a tower or turret, leading to the open wall-walk on the roof
castle
a fortified house or stronghold
castellations
battlements and turrets
chevron moulding
moulding in the shape of an inverted V, a Norman feature
close
a courtyard or passage giving access to a number of buildings
clunch
hard chalk used as building material. OFten plastered with limewash for durability
colonnade
range of evenly spaced columns
corbel
stone bracket projecting from a wall or corner, to support a beam.
corbiestepped
squared stones forming steps on a gabel
courtyard castle
usually a castle of some size and importance built around a central counrtyard, normally with a tower or keep, gatehouse, ranges of building.
counterscarp
outer slope or wall of a ditch, see scarp
crenellation
the parapet of a tower or wall with indentations or openings (embrasures or crenelles) alternating with solid projectsion (merlons)
crosslet
horizontal arrow slit for crossbows, for wider angles
cross wall
internal dividing wall ina great tower
crow-steps
step-gabled end ot a roof. Also called corbie-stepped, Scottish
curtain
general term for castle walling inner or outer, enclosing a courtyard. Sited between towers or a tower and a gatehouse, giving the appearance of being hung between them
dog-legged
with right-angled bends
donjon
alternative word for great tower
doocot
dovecote, scottish
dormer window
window standing up certically from a slope of a roof
drawbridge
wooden bridge which could be raised and lowered across a ditch
dressing
carved or smoothed stonework around openings and around edges
drystane
scottish, dry stonework iwthout mortar
dun, dum
An iron age fortified enclosure, built of dry stone, often with galleried wall, dating from the 1st c, althougns ome were occupied until the 16c. May be similiar to a broch, but not always round.
e-plan tower house
tower house with a main block and at least two wings at right angles, dating from the 16/17c
eaves
the overhanging part of a roof
embrasures
battlements, the indentations between the projections (merlons)
enciente
the line of th wall encircling a fortress
entresol
a low storey within two high ones (mezzanine)
fore
structure protecting an entrance, as in forestair
forebuilding
structure on the outside wall of a great tower protecting the entrance and all, or part of the approaching staircases. Some forebuildings contained chambers and chapels over the stairs
fortalice
a medium sized fortified building, scottish
fosse
a ditch
fresco
painting on wet plaster
freestone
soft, easily worked stone
frieze
horizontal band of ornament
gable
a vertical wall, frequently triangular, at the end of a pitched roof, often with a chimney
gallery
long, narrow passage or room
garderobe
latrine, usually built into the wall of the castle
garrett
top storey of a tower, within the roof
gothic
non-classical medieval architecture.
groin
junction of two curved surfaces in a vault
gun-loop, gun-port
poening in a wall for a gun
hall house
defensible two-storey building containing a hall above a basement
hammer-beam
an elaborate type of roof used in gothic and tudor buildints. TO avoid tie-beams across an imposing hall, short timber cantilevers, hammer beams, were used.
harling
wet dash, or roughcasting, hurled or dashed onto a rubble wall of a castle orhouse to give additional protection from the weather.
heraldic panel
a stone panel where the arms and initials of a noble and his wife were recorded, often with the date
hill fort
fortified site often on a summit of a hill or coastel promontory usually with series of ditches and ramparts, many with stone walls. Many later castles were built wihin these fortifications
hoarding
covered wooden gallery affixed to the top of the outside of a tower or curtain to defend the castle. It was supported on wooden beams inserted into put-log holes. THe floor was slatted to allow defenders to drop missiles or liquids on the besiegers below.
house
a castle, tower or fortalice, especially where these have been extended or modified, also mansions
jamb
straight side of a doorway, archway, or window
keep
strong stone tower. A citadel or strong point, normally with a vaulted basement, hall, and aditional storeys. OFten with very thick walls, a flush parapet, and mural chambers.
l-plan tower house
distinctive scottish form of the tower house in which a wing was added at right angles to the main tower block, affording better protection by covering fire and providing more accomodation.
lancet window
a slender pointed arch window
light
window pane or window division
lintel
horizontal beam of stone or wood positioned across an opening at it’s top.
loggia
covered open arcade
machicolation
projecting part of a stone or brick parapet with holes in the floor, as in hoarding
main block
principal part of a castle, usually containing the hall and lord’s chamber
mangonel
stone-throwing machine worke dby torsion
mantlet
mobile woodwn protective shield on wheels
merlon
the projections in the battlements between embrasures
meutriere
alternative word for murder hole
mezzanine
a low storey between to higher ones
moat
a water filled ditch
motte
a steeply sided flat-topped mound
motte and bailey
a defence system, ROman in origin,consisting of an earth mount carrying aowooden tower with a bailey, with an enclosing ditch and palisade
mullion
vertical member dividing the lights of a window
murder-holes
openings inthe roof of a gateway or part of a gatehouse over an entrance passage, popularly thought to to be used for dropping missiles or shooting weapons at besiegers, but more probably for dropping water ove the wooden parts of the gates
newel
the central cupport for a spiral stair
niche
a vertical recess in a wall, often to take statue
offset
a ledge in a wall followed by a reduced thickness of the wall
ogee
a double curve, bending one way and then another
oratory
a small private domestic shapel
oriel window
projecting curved or polygonal windows
oubliette
dungeon or pit under the floor, reached by a trap door. In scotland, usually a pit-prison
palace
an old scottish term for a two-storey hall block
pantile
a roof tile of curved s-shaped section
parapet
a wall for protection at any sudden drop
pediment
a small gable over a doorway or window, especially a dormer
peel
originally apalisaded court, later a stone tower
pend
an open ended passeage though a building, at ground level
pendant
a suspended feature of a vault or ceiling, usually ending in a boss
pepperpot turret
a bartizan with a conical or pyrmidal roof
pilaster buttress
butress with a projection, positioned on a corner or mid-wall
pinnacle
small slender turret or spire
piscina
a basin with a drani for washing the mass vessels, usually set in a wall
pit prison
a dark prison only reached by a heatch in a vault
pleasance, pleasaunce
a walled garden
plinth
the projecting base of a wall, may be bettered or stepped
pointing
exposed mortar joints of masonry or brickwork
portcullis
wood and iron grill-pattern gate which ws raise and lowered in grooves by ropes or chains.
postern
small gateway, usually ni the side or rear of a castle
put-log
beam inserted into a hole in the great tower gatehouse or curtain to support hoarding or scaffolding for building or repairs
quatrefoil
four-lobed
quoin
dressed corner staone at an angle of a building.
rampart
a stone or earth wall surrounding a castle
re-entrance
angle that points inward, opposite of a salient
relieving arch
arch built into a wall to relieve the thrust of another opening
revet
fae with a lyer of stone, stone slabs, for more strength. SOme earth mottes were revetted with stone
rib vaulting
arched roof with ribs of traisd moldlings at the groin
roll and hollow molding
simple round edgin formed at outside vertical corner of a stone jamb
romanesque
pre-gothic style of architecture characterized by rounded arches
round
a roofless bartizan
royal castle
a castle held by a keeper or constable for the king
rubble
uncot or only roughly shaped stone, for walling
salient
angle that points outward, opposite a re-entrant
sally-port
side gate for defenders to go out on an attack
scale-and-platt
stair with short straight flights and turnings at landings.
scarp
inner wall or slope of a ditch or moat
screen
a wall, wooden or stone, to divide an adjoining kitchen from a hall
segmental
less than a semicircle
shot-hole
hole for fireamrs, generally smaller than a gunport
six-foil
six lobed
skew
sloping or sloped stones finishing a gale higher than a roof
slight
to damage or destroy a castle to render it unfit for use or occupation as a fortress
solar
lord’s parlour or private quarters, sometimes adjacent to a great hall, and sometimes over it
squinch arch
arched support for an angle turrett that does not reach the ground
stepped
recessed in a series of ledges
stronghouse
a mansion capable of being defended
stoup
vessel for holy water
string-course
intermediate course, or modling, projecting from the surface of the wall
tempura
form of wall painting directly onto wet plaster
tower house
self-contianied house with the main rooms stacked vertically, usulaly with a hall over a vaulted basement and further storeys above. Normally in a small courtyard.
t-plam
house or tower where the main block has a wing or tower one one side.
transom
horizontal dividing beam in a window
trebuchet
stone throwing engine worked by a counterweight
trefoil
three lobed
turnpike stair
spiral stair around a newel or central post
turret
a small tower usually attahed to a building
vault
an arched ceiling of stone, tunel or bareel vault is the simplest kind.
voussoir
wedge shaped stone forming part of an arch
wall-walk
path along the top of a wall, rpotected by a parapet
ward
bailey
wing-wall
wall descending the slope of a motte
yett
a strong hinged gate made of interwoven iron bars
walled enclosure
a simple castle, normally where a wall encloses a rock or island with a wooden hall and buildings.
ward
courtyard within the walls of a castle, also a bailey
z-plan
distinctive scottish form of tower, with corner towers added to opposite corners

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