Beaumaris Castle, the last built by Edward I. Note the concentric keep design. Image Source: http://www.beaumaris.com/
Medieval Castle Proper
As access to building materials such as stone increased, castle builders began to rely more heavily on these incredibly strong and durable materials. While still employing the method of building on high ground - either artificial or natural - the earliest medieval castles were shell keeps, quite similar to Restormel castle. Shell keeps were often built with a thick curtain wall and a smaller inner wall, with residences, a great hall, a chapel, and other indoor spaces built between the two walls. However, shell keeps proved to not be the strongest fortifications and improvements on the design produced a square or rectangular stone keep or donjon, which came to define Norman castles in the United Kingdom.[1]
Donjons were similarly built on high ground, but in some instances did not possess the walls that were a prominent feature of the shell keep or even the motte-and-bailey fortification. Though, they did serve the same purpose, as they intended to protect a lord, his family, servants, and soldiers from an attack while also reflecting his power and authority over his subjects. Later, features such as merlons, shooting niches, and turrets were added to the donjon, improving its defensive strength.[2]
These square or rectangular keeps were a great defensive stronghold, but with Crusaders bringing back new forms of technology from the east, castle design changed rapidly. Adopting a concentric design, new castles did away with the single strong point that the donjon provided. Instead, castle-builders built a series of concentric walls - often three - and would place strongholds at various points between the walls. These walls would grow taller as one worked their way in, with the shortest walls often being the first line of defense. Castles built with this concentric design came to be known as Edwardian castles, after the monarch who perfected this castle design in England and Wales.[3]
The concentric circular design was a significant improvement and leap forward in castle building. By adding an outer wall, space was increased inside the castle walls, allowing for a larger army and materiel to be stored in case of a long siege. Additionally, the spreading out of strongholds along the outer walls made defense more autonomous and effective.[4] These improvements allowed castle designers to improve on traditional designs of Roman defense, such as gates and towers, which is explained in more depth in our features section.
A great example of the medieval castle proper is Beaumaris Castle, pictured above. With its concentric double walls, spread out defense towers, large moat, and spacious open area within the castle walls, Beaumaris demonstrates how medieval monarchs such as Edward I had perfected the art of castle-building, building on the traditions and experiences of the Romans, civilizations to the east, and their feudal predecessors.
[1] David Ross, "Castles in England and Wales," Britain Express, accessed 24 October 2013, http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/cornwall/castles.htm.
[2] Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage, Castles and Fortified Cities of Medieval Europe: An Illustrated History (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company Inc), 38-53, http://do.rulitru.ru/docs/16/15655/conv_1/file1.pdf.
[3] Ross, "Castles in England and Wales," http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/cornwall/castles.htm; 59.
[4] Lepage, Castles and Fortified Cities of Medieval Europe, 107, http://do.rulitru.ru/docs/16/15655/conv_1/file1.pdf.
Donjons were similarly built on high ground, but in some instances did not possess the walls that were a prominent feature of the shell keep or even the motte-and-bailey fortification. Though, they did serve the same purpose, as they intended to protect a lord, his family, servants, and soldiers from an attack while also reflecting his power and authority over his subjects. Later, features such as merlons, shooting niches, and turrets were added to the donjon, improving its defensive strength.[2]
These square or rectangular keeps were a great defensive stronghold, but with Crusaders bringing back new forms of technology from the east, castle design changed rapidly. Adopting a concentric design, new castles did away with the single strong point that the donjon provided. Instead, castle-builders built a series of concentric walls - often three - and would place strongholds at various points between the walls. These walls would grow taller as one worked their way in, with the shortest walls often being the first line of defense. Castles built with this concentric design came to be known as Edwardian castles, after the monarch who perfected this castle design in England and Wales.[3]
The concentric circular design was a significant improvement and leap forward in castle building. By adding an outer wall, space was increased inside the castle walls, allowing for a larger army and materiel to be stored in case of a long siege. Additionally, the spreading out of strongholds along the outer walls made defense more autonomous and effective.[4] These improvements allowed castle designers to improve on traditional designs of Roman defense, such as gates and towers, which is explained in more depth in our features section.
A great example of the medieval castle proper is Beaumaris Castle, pictured above. With its concentric double walls, spread out defense towers, large moat, and spacious open area within the castle walls, Beaumaris demonstrates how medieval monarchs such as Edward I had perfected the art of castle-building, building on the traditions and experiences of the Romans, civilizations to the east, and their feudal predecessors.
[1] David Ross, "Castles in England and Wales," Britain Express, accessed 24 October 2013, http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/cornwall/castles.htm.
[2] Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage, Castles and Fortified Cities of Medieval Europe: An Illustrated History (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company Inc), 38-53, http://do.rulitru.ru/docs/16/15655/conv_1/file1.pdf.
[3] Ross, "Castles in England and Wales," http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/cornwall/castles.htm; 59.
[4] Lepage, Castles and Fortified Cities of Medieval Europe, 107, http://do.rulitru.ru/docs/16/15655/conv_1/file1.pdf.