What we learned last lesson?
Swap your three things in pairs
Describe 3 things that you
remember
asleast
significant
Try
to get at
five
about last things
lesson.between you.
significant
Date Castle
11th
C
11th
C
12th
C
13th
C
Strengths
Motte and High up
Bailey
Ditch
Fast to build
Shell keep Stone Wall
Weaknesses
Wood burns
Can be cut
down
Capture wall
take whole
building
Square
Thick stone walls Corners can be
keep
Entrance above
mined or
ground level
battered
Concentric 2 or 3 walls
Only betrayal
Castle
Inside wall higher by someone
than outer
Or
Strong gatehouse Very long siege
Round towers
Task
• Shape metal
Carve and lay stone
• Work with lead for pipes &
Shape
metal
Smiths
roofs
Carpenters
• Painting
pictures
inside
Cut, join
and carve
wood
castle
Plumbers
Work with lead for pipes & roof
• Dig stone from ground
Plasterers
Plastering the walls
• Make mortar to bind stones
Painters
Painting
pictures inside castle
together
• Carve andLay
layfloors
stone
Pavers
• Cut,Dig
joinstone
and carve
from wood
ground
Quarrymen
•
Lay
floors
Make
mortar to bind stones
Mortarmixers
together
• Plastering the
walls
• Masons
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Castle Builders
In pairs, discuss 3 things you would like to learn
about attacking and defending a castle.
Remember to pose (ask) a question.
i.e. write down 3 questions you would like
answered today.
Q1.
Where was the best place to site a
castle? 
Q2. What were the main defences of a castle? 
Q3. Why did the defences have to improve?
Q4. What methods were used to attack
castles?

Q5. What type of weapons were used?


problem solving 
presenting a case 
Skills – working together
Where to build a castle?
Key: Best defensive position
e.g. top of hill/high ground
next to river
near crossroads – move troops quickly
near town/village – control people &
food supplies
protect river crossings
Other factors: near drinking water
near forest/wood
Group
Work
Where to build a castle
5
3
2
1
4
8 mins
Individual
Work
Castle Defences
Answer the following using full sentences:
1. In your own words explain why castles
were built:
a) on a hill
b) on the banks of a river
c) near crossroads?
2. Why were castles built near towns?
Why were defences so important?
• Had to
be safe
from attack
Wooden
keep
?
• Make it difficult for the enemy to break in
motte
?
Gate
look?
out
drawbridge
?
?
ditch
bailey
?
palisade
?
gate
Where were
the weak
points
Why of the
motte and
weak?
bailey
castle?
Solutions?
walls
keep
Existing castles were slowly improved
Outer curtain wall
well
drawbridge
crenellation
Arrow loops
gatehouse
Stone Keep
Curtain wall
Inner bailey
Portcullis
Stone Castle Defences
Towers & turrets
battlements
hoardings
gatehouse
machicolations
arrow loops
high, thick
walls
portcullis
drawbridge
moat
Battlements
where fighting was done
crenel
merlon
crenellation
shutter
Gate Defences
• Speed important –
had to close off
castle quickly
• 2 portcullises
could trap the
enemy
• Murder holes could
be used to pour
throw hot tar or
water, crush enemy
with stones or fire
at them with
arrows
Methods
of
Why?
Attack
Improved
Attacking
Besieging a Castle
Siege
tower
ladders
mangonel
crossbows
longbow
Types of catapults
Fired missiles at or over wall
trebuchet
mangonel
Fired missiles over wall:
•Stones
•Dead animals
•Heads of the enemy
Attacking the Gate
Tortoise
Battering Ram
Break down gates or smash the walls
Other Siege Weapons
Sappers’ tent
Penthouse
ballista
For use on square keep
or square towers
Individual
Work
Name each
weapon labelled:
a
b
c
d
e
f
f
c
b
d
e
a
Individual
Work
Castle Defences
1. How were soldiers protected on the
battlements?
2. Draw an arrow loop and explain its
purpose.
3. Give 2 advantages of round towers in a
curtain wall.
4. Describe 3 methods used to defend the
castle gate. Include a picture of one of
these defences.
Individual
Work
Siege Weapons
Quiz – what am I?
Identify each weapon from the cryptic clue:
•
When the catch of my big spoon is
released I fling out a huge stone with
great force. What am I?
•
I protect miners while they dig under a
square keep. What am I?
•
I use powder and flame to fire metal
balls over the castle walls. I was not
invented until the 13th C. What am I?
Individual
Work
Siege Weapons
4. With my sling I throw stones or dead
animals over the castle wall. What am I?
5. I can be wheeled up to the wall to allow
attackers to climb onto the wall. What
am I?
6. I am used to break down the gate?
What am I?
7. I am made of metal and rope and help
the soldiers climb up castle walls? What
am I?
Individual
Work
Siege Weapons
Quiz – what am I?
Identify each weapon from the cryptic clue:
•
When the catch of my big spoon is
released I fling out a huge
stone with
mangonel
great force. What am I?
•
I protect miners while they dig under a
square keep. WhatPenthouse
am I? or sappers tent
•
I use powder and flame to fire metal
cannon
balls over the castle walls.
I was not
invented until the 13th C. What am I?
Individual
Work
Siege Weapons
4. With my sling I throw stones or dead
animals over the castletrebuchet
wall. What am I?
5. I can be wheeled up to the wall to allow
towerWhat
attackers to climb onto siege
the wall.
am I?
6. I am used to break down the gate?
battering ram
What am I?
7. I am made of metal and rope and help
grappling hook
the soldiers climb up castle walls? What
am I?