During the Middle Ages, the castle was the centerpiece of the manor system. A symbol of power and position, a properly constructed castle could mean the difference between victory or defeat for the lord of the manor. Part residence and part combat machine, every element of a castle was designed to serve a particular purpose.

 

The Task

Your king has chosen you to design the castle to end all castles. The castle must be both pleasing to the eye as well as impregnable to any enemy. To build the king the perfect castle you must research the elements of an effective castle and then create a blueprint that can be given to the royal castle builders. This should be the greatest castle ever created in all of Christendom.

The Process

Step 1: To begin your research look at the Internet site  http://www.castlewales.com/life.html which will give you a good look at daily life in a Welsh castle.  Use the following guide questions to help you take notes on certain important areas:

1. What is the importance of a "Great Hall" in a castle?  2. What did a typical hall look like? Flooring? Lighting?  3. Describe how heating was accomplished in the Medieval halls.  4. Describe the kitchens usually found in Medieval castles.  5. Explain how the main bedrooms and guest rooms were laid out in the castle.  6. What were squints used for?  7. Did castles have water accessible on all floors? Explain.  8. Where was the chapel located in early castles?  9. How are guests seated when they come for dinner?  10. List four things you learned about knights

Step 2:   Use the Castle Terms   to identify each thing that the King is requiring in his castle. Write the definition of each word on a sheet of paper and keep it next to the computer for your reference. Be sure you do not leave anything the King wants out (he is not a forgiving man), so review the list carefully!    1.wicket     2.allure     3.turret     4.arch     5.rampart     6.aumbry     7.postern gate     8.bailey     9.paraphet    10.barbican    11.parados    12.battlement    13.outer ward    14.buttery    15.outer curtain    16.buttress    17.murder holes    18.crosswall    19.moat    20.donjon or keep    21.Hall    22.dormer    23.great chamber    24.drawbridge    25.gate house    26.dungeon    27.garderobe    28.gallery

Step 4 - The Dream Dungeon No self respecting king can have a castle without a state of the art dungeon for entertaining those unruly serfs. A wise man once said "a dungeon is only as effective as the toys in it". Go to the torture website, http://www.torture-museum.com/devices.htm , to determine the five must have instruments for the king's dungeon.

Step 5 - Castle Layout and Design Now that you have researched several different castles, it is time to begin a blueprint of the King'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. Be sure that each area of your blueprint is clearly marked with dimensions and has its function clearly labeled.

Concept by: Educational Management Group, Inc. Created by: M. Gouwens November 2001

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