Describe 3 things that you remember as significant about last lesson.

What we learned last lesson?

Swap your three things in pairsTry to get at least five significant things between you.

Wood burnsCan be cut down

High upDitchFast to build

Motte and Bailey

11th C

WeaknessesStrengthsCastleDate

Capture wall take whole building

Stone WallShell keep

11th C

Corners can be mined or battered

Thick stone wallsEntrance above ground level

Square keep

12th C

Only betrayal by someoneOrVery long siege

2 or 3 wallsInside wall higher than outerStrong gatehouseRound towers

Concentric Castle

13th C

• Shape metal• Work with lead for pipes &

roofs• Painting pictures inside

castle• Dig stone from ground• Make mortar to bind

stones together• Carve and lay stone• Cut, join and carve wood• Lay floors• Plastering the walls

Castle Builders• Masons• Smiths• Carpenters• Plumbers• Plasterers• Painters• Pavers• Quarrymen• Mortarmixers

Carve and lay stone

Cut, join and carve woodWork with lead for pipes & roofs

Plastering the wallsPainting pictures inside castle

Lay floorsDig stone from ground

Make mortar to bind stones together

Shape metal

Task

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?

Skills – working togetherproblem solvingpresenting a case

Where to build a castle?Key: Best defensive positione.g. top of hill/high ground

next to rivernear crossroads – move troops quicklynear town/village – control people & food suppliesprotect river crossings

Other factors: near drinking waternear forest/wood

Where to build a castle

1

2

53

4

GroupWork

8 mins

Castle DefencesAnswer the following using full sentences:

1. In your own words explain why castles were built:a) on a hillb) on the banks of a riverc) near crossroads?

2. Why were castles built near towns?

IndividualWork

Why were defences so important?• Had to be safe from attack• Make it difficult for the enemy to break in

Wooden keep

motte

bailey palisadedrawbrid

ge

Gate look-out ditch

? ? ?

?

?

?

?

Where were the weak

points of the motte and

bailey castle?

gate

walls

keep

Why weak?Solutions?

Existing castles were slowly improved

Stone KeepCurtain wall

Inner bailey

Portcullis drawbridge

crenellationArrow loopsgatehou

se

well

Outer curtain wall

Stone Castle Defences

high, thick walls

machicolations

battlements

drawbridge

gatehousehoardings

arrow loops

Towers & turrets

portcullis

moat

Battlements

crenellation

where fighting was done

crenel

merlonshutter

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

Why?Methods

ofAttack

Improved

Besieging a CastleAttacking

Siege tower

crossbows

longbow

mangonel

ladders

Types of catapults

mangonel

trebuchet

Fired missiles at or over wall

Fired missiles over wall:•Stones•Dead animals•Heads of the enemy

Battering Ram

Attacking the Gate

Tortoise

Break down gates or smash the walls

Other Siege Weapons

ballista

Penthouse

For use on square keep or square towers

Sappers’ tent

ae

d

c bName each weapon labelled:abcdef

IndividualWork

f

Castle Defences1. 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.

IndividualWork

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?

IndividualWork 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?

IndividualWork 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?

IndividualWork Siege Weapons

mangonel

Penthouse or sappers tent

cannon

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?

IndividualWork Siege Weapons

trebuchet

siege tower

battering ram

grappling hook