Medieval Castle Project
During the Medieval era of history, life was lived by a very different set of political,
economic, and social rules. The only form of government was a Monarchy where the
king or queen ruled by "divine right." "Divine right" simply meant that God appointed the
king or queen to rule with absolute power. The main economic system was Feudalism in
which the king appointed a baron or knight to oversee a portion of his land in return for
loyalty and protection in case of invasion. The baron or knight would oversee the serfs,
who labored on the land in return for protection given by the baron or knight..
The Task
You are a Medieval Castle Builder living in Wales in the year 1076. You are hired by the
Norman Baron William de Clare to build him a fantastic castle in Aberystwyth, Wales.
The population of Aberystwyth is approximately 300 serfs, 150 soldiers in residence, a
household staff of about 50 people and approximately 20 family members. Before
beginning the design of the castle, it is important that you see the location. GO here
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/castle_builder/media/map_wal.gif and locate
Aberystwyth on the map of Wales. Be sure to note any geographical features that you
will want to accommodate in your plans.
The Baron wants his castle to not only be beautiful, but also the strongest castle of
defense ever built. You are confident that you can build the Baron this castle because you
have the technology to search out many different castles all over the world and select the
best features from each.
After researching and taking notes on what daily life in a Welsh castle is like, you will
then begin the design of the Baron's new castle. Be sure to follow the Baron's list of
things he wants in the castle, then you may use your imagination to design the rest of
your three-dimensional model. The design must be complete and detailed and must
give the viewer a true sense of what the castle will look like when it is actually built.
Keep a sketch pad next to the computer so that as you see things on different castles that
you would like to add, you can sketch pictures and take notes. For example, if you
wanted to add a specific turret from a castle in Scotland, you could make notes on the
specific features so you would remember to add them to the Baron's castle. Be sure you
do not forget to add everything to the Baron's castle that was on his list of things he
wanted! Keep that list next to the computer as you work on your research. We will work
on the research in class each week. You will have some time in the computer lab to
work on the research. I encourage you to do as much research at home as you can.
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Step 1 - Daily Life
To begin your research look at the Internet site "Life in a Medieval Castle"
http://www.castlewales.com/life.html which will give you a good look at daily life in a
Welsh castle. Keep a "Builder's Journal" in which you record all of the important
aspects of daily life so you can address these areas in the design of the Baron's castle. Use
the following guide questions to help you take notes on certain important areas:
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What is the importance of a "Great Hall" in a castle?
What did a typical hall look like? Flooring? Lighting?
Describe how heating was accomplished in the Medieval halls.
Describe the kitchens usually found in Medieval castles.
Explain how the main bedrooms and guest rooms were laid out in
the castle.
What were squints used for?
Did castles have water accessible on all floors? Explain.
Where was the chapel located in early castles?
How are guests seated when they come for dinner?
List four things you learned about knights.
You will record all of your research in "details format" in your
Builder's Journal. You will have the following sections:
1. Title Page
2. Daily Life
3. Descriptions of the living areas inside castles
4. Methods of defense of castles
5. Other Castle designs (in back of journal)
6. Bibliography shorthand page
In your Glossary book you will have the terms recorded and illustrated as
listed in Step 2.
Step 2 - The Baron's Castle Specifications
Once you have taken notes on the life of the castle inhabitants, you are ready to review
Baron William de Clare's specific requirements. Use the Internet's "Glossary of Castle
Terms" http://www.castlesontheweb.com/glossary.html and
http://www.allcrusades.com/CASTLES/GLOSSARY_OF_CASTLE_TERMS/glossary_o
f_castle_terms.html#Backtotopalphabet to identify each thing that the Baron is requiring
in his castle. Write the definition of each word. Be sure you do not leave anything the
Baron wants out (he is not a forgiving man), so review the list carefully!
1. allure
2. arch
3. aumbry
4. bailey
5. barbican
6. battlement
7. buttery
8. buttress
9. curtain wall
10. donjon or keep
11. dormer
12. drawbridge
13. gallery
14. garderobe
15. gate house
16. great chamber
17. Hall
18. moat
19. murder holes
20. outer curtain
21. outer ward
22. parapet
23. postern gate
24. rampart
25. turret
26.wicket
Step 3 - Castle Research
Once you have made a list of all of Baron de Clare's requests, you may begin researching
other castles for design ideas. Record your notes in your Builder's Journal. As you
browse through other castles, be sure to look for features that will help you make the
Baron's castle as strong as possible. In other words, it must be able to withstand the
strongest and longest attack from any enemy! Some good information on castle defenses
can be found at the Castle Siege craft and Defense site
http://www.castlewales.com/siege.html. This site will give you lots of information on
how to design your castle to withstand attacks successfully.
Step 4 - Castle Layout and Design
Now that you have researched several different castles, it is time to begin a blueprint of
the Baron's Castle. Begin by establishing the dimensions of the castle, be sure it is large
enough to accommodate all of the castle inhabitants, including the serfs, in case of a
siege. Next, draw an outline of the main castle and of all the outbuildings that you will
need. Include all gardens and food storage facilities that you will need. Remember food
capacity is crucial to survive in case the castle is under siege. Some sieges lasted for over
a year in Medieval times!
Use a ruler to draw the dimensions of the castle to scale. Drawing to scale means you
must choose a standard scale for measuring so that each building is in proportion with
the others. For example, each 10 square feet of castle space may equal 1 inch on your
blueprint. You may choose your own scale.
Step5-Bibliography
In conducting your research, use the "magical device" known as the Internet to help you
locate other castles. No one in Medieval history knows what the Internet is, so the Baron
will be impressed by how much information you gathered and how fast your horse rode
all over Europe! You will need a typed bibliography page (in a Word document) with at
least 10 internet sites or book sources listed. You will need to take your Bibliography
Shorthand page from your Builder's Journal and type each into the citation machine for
correct formatting.
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Mrs. Johnson's website includes many helpful links that can aid you in your
research: http://www.ector-county.k12.tx.us//Domain/1155
Direct link to my Middle Ages/Medieval Sites: http://www.ectorcounty.k12.tx.us/Page/23495
Step 6-The Model
Now that you have completed your blueprint, begin the construction of the threedimensional model.
Your Castle model should be a castle based on designs from the Middle Ages and
should include:
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Neatly colored and imprinted stonework on each tower and
inside and outside each of the walls crenellations on top of each
wall and tower, using paper, clay, stone fleck spray paint, etc.
Made to scale with solid, firm, colored base with neat edges
Greenery (moss, trees, bushes, etc.)
Buildings, well, ladders, walkways, appropriate figures included
Covering all of the Baron specific requests for the castle
Strong defensive features
NO plastic, toy castle, LEGO castles or baked goods for the castle. You
may make the smaller parts (furniture, flags, torches, etc.) or purchase
them however this is expensive, and I don’t recommend it. Please try to
use things from around the house.
We will work on the research in class each week. You will have some time in the
computer lab to research and record in your Builder's Journal. I encourage you to do
as much research at home as you can. The castle blueprint and the model are to be
done completely at home.
Presentation
Each student will be required to give about a 5 minute oral presentation in a
gallery-style showcase to accompany their Model and Builder’s Journal. The
information in their journal is to be used in their oral presentation. The
presentation must be practiced at home so you can be ready to give it when you
arrive at school.
Project Due Dates, Due on your SIP day of the week:
Step1, 2 & 3- Glossary of Castle Terms and Builder's
Journal with all research complete, & bibliography
shorthand page with 10 sources--Due Nov. 11th-15th
Step 4 & 5-Castle Layout (blueprint) and Design and typed
bibliography--Due Nov. 18th-22nd
Step 5-Castle Model and Presentation--Due Dec.. 9th-13th
(The dates listed above depend on which day you have SIP
class.)
Image Copyright 1995 by Educational Management Group, Inc.
Look up the Castle Terminology to view each section of this castle design. You can click
on the outer curtain, the outer bailey, and other areas!
http://www.castlewales.com/casterms.html
MUIDEN CASTLE http://www.castles.nl/muid/muid.html
http://www.castlesofmedievaltimes.com/muiderslot-castle.html
http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com/muiden-castle.html
CONWY CASTLE
http://www.castlewales.com/conwy.html
http://www.walesdirectory.co.uk/his/cas/conwy.htm
http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/wales/conwy/conwy.php
http://www.greatcastlesofwales.co.uk/conwy.htm
SKIPNESS CASTLE
http://www.ccsna.org/castles/skipness.html
http://www.darkisle.com/s/skipness/skipness.html
DONJON OF FALAISE
http://www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr/web/histoire_uk.php
WEOBLEY CASTLE
http://www.castlewales.com/weobley.html
http://www.llanegwad-carmarthen.co.uk/castleweobley.htm
http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/wales/weobley/weobley.php
HARLECH CASTLE
http://www.castlewales.com/harlech.html
http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/wales/harlech/harlech.php
http://www.shawnbrown.com/portfolio/harlech1.html
AUGHNANURE CASTLE
http://www.of-ireland.info/castles/oughterard.html
http://castlesights.com/castles/ireland/aughnanure/aughnanure.html
http://www.theirishcastle.com/aughnanure/aughnanure.html
http://www.dickemauern.de/aughn/aughn.htm