Bailey
As part of the Motte and Bailey castle, the bailey was the area next to the motte (mound)
that was enclosed by a ditch and palisade. The bailey had room for buildings to house
the Lord and his immediate followers plus space for animals and storage. In times of trouble, the
local people could enter the bailey where they would be safe from attackers.
Barbican
This is a defensive element that protected an entrance to the castle. Some barbicans
consisted of a narrow passage that allowed a limited number of attackers access to
a gate, forcing them into a confined area where they could be shot at by defenders.
Early barbicans built from earthworks were designed to add complexity to the layout
of the entrance to confuse attackers.
Curtain Wall
This refers to the outer wall of a castle. Technically it means the sections of wall
between the towers, but generally it refers to the entire wall including the towers. The
curtain wall of Framlingham castle is shown on the left and has thirteen towers.
Gatehouse
As the main entrance to the castle, the gatehouse was probably the first part of a castle
to be completed. The gatehouse usually consisted of a stone-built building with a central
entrance guarded either by a bridge, gates, portcullis or combination of these. Above
the entrance were rooms to house the constable of the castle and a number of men to
defend the building.
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Keep
The keep was probably the strong-point of the castle and was where the defenders would
retreat to if the rest of the castle fell into enemy hands. Keeps can be square or
round and consist of several floors. The walls are very thick to help prevent undermining
and the staircase to reach the different floors is built into the thickness of the wall. Usually the keep has one
defendable main entrance. Circular keeps evolved because square keeps were susceptible to
undermining at their corners. The French word 'donjon' was used in the past to name
this part of the castle. The word has now been altered to the word dungeon and now
refers to the prison which is usually situated at the bottom of the keep.
Motte
A mound of earth on which a wooden tower was built to act as defendable position and
a look-out point. The motte was constructed by building up layers of earth and rocks
to a height anywhere between 10 and a 100 feet. At the top of the motte was built a
wooden palisade and tower which was usually on stilts. Wooden steps or ladders
connected the top of the motte to the bailey below.
Palisade
Usually a wooden fence erected around the edge of a bailey or at the top of a motte.
Portcullis
A portcullis is a large wooden gate that was lowered through slots in the gatehouse to
defend the entrance to the castle. Made usually from many pieces of horizontal and
vertical oak beams with sharp spikes at the bottom, the portcullis was strong and very
heavy. Counterweights were sometimes used to make it easier to raise a heavy portcullis.
Tilting Yard
This was a yard or field where jousting tournaments and combats took place. Usually just
outside the confines of the castle, the tiltyard could have been permanently set up to
hold the tournaments.
Well
Possibly the most important part of a castle in the time of sieges, the Well meant
survival for the inhabitants of the castle even if they had little food. The well could
be situated in the courtyard or inside the keep. If the well was outside, a wooden covering
usually protected it from the elements.
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