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Anatomy of a Castle

Name the features that a fortified stronghold may or may not have had, before being rendered obsolete by those pesky cannons.
I am not claiming that these features are totally unique to castles
Sources: Castlewales, Wikipedia
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whetherheather
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Last updated: March 20, 2026
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First submittedMarch 20, 2026
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Average score22.2%
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Structures
An earthen mound with a flat top on which castles were often built
Motte
The ditch, either wet or dry, that may surround it
Moat
Inner stronghold that often housed the lord & his family
Keep
Courtyard within the castle
Bailey
Walls
The outermost wall of the castle, often connecting towers
Curtain wall
A low, defensive wall, between chest and head height
Parapet
A specific type of the above, notched for defense.
Battlement
Gaps in that wall for launching arrows or other projectiles
Embrasures
The solid parts of said wall between those gaps
Merlons
Inner Rooms & Elements
Openings in the ceiling of the gateway passage used to pour boiling oil and other objects on attackers. Or, less excitingly, to pour water on fires.
Murder holes
Rows of arches supported by columns, either freestanding or attached to a wall
Arcading
Room where barrels of alcohol, not sticks of margarine, were stored
Buttery
Term commonly applied to a lord's private chambers; not a precursor to sun rooms
Solar
Entrances & Exits
Complex of towers, bridges, and barriers that protected an entrance
Gatehouse
A forward defensive structure often jutting out from one
Barbican
Vertical wooden grilles that protected a gate
Portcullis
A secondary gate, commonly located at the rear of the castle
Postern gate
Wooden bridge leading to a gate, able to be raised or lowered
Drawbridge
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1 Comments
XYU
+1
Level 62
Mar 30, 2026
Super stuff!
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