Castles: Their Construction and HistoryThe art of fortification had reached a high state of development even at the dawn of history. Powerful military works, dating from the remotest periods, have been found in Asia Minor, in Greece, and in the basins of the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the Nile rivers. The medieval castle, with its strategic, crenellated ramparts and aura of legend and romance, represents perhaps the most familiar form of a long-crucial art. This concise, scholarly volume traces the history of the castle from its ancient roots in the Levant, through Roman times and the Middle Ages, to the fanciful chateaux of the sixteenth century. Profusely illustrated with nearly 200 photographs, floor-plan diagrams, and pen-and-ink renderings, Castles explores innovations in castle design, siege operations, artillery, and other weapons, living conditions within the castle, and clearly explains intriguing features of construction: moats, baileys, keeps, donjons, barbicans, double curtains, loopholes, and many others. In addition, noted historian and fortification expert Sidney Toy takes the reader on a detailed guided tour of over 120 of the most famous castles and fortresses of Europe and the Middle East. Explore Caernarvon Castle (associated with the Princes of Wales), Dover Castle, Arundel Castle, Hadrian's Wall, the Tower of London, the famed city of Troy, and dozens of others in vivid accounts focusing on the architecture, offensive and defensive modifications, and historical importance of each structure or site. Castle enthusiasts, medievalists, military buffs, travelers, and anyone interested in the evolution and development of the castle will find this meticulously researched overview an informative and absorbing account. |
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angles attack barbican basement battlements Beaumaris Castle building built buttresses Castle Plan chapel Chateau chemise circular citadel constructed corbels corner courtyard curtain wall defended destroyed ditch donjon door drawbridge east enemy entrance doorway face fifteenth century fighting fire fireplace first first floor flanked flat flight of steps forebuilding formed fortifications fortress four storeys fourteenth century gallery gate gatehouse gateway Gisors ground floor hall Harlech Castle inner bailey internal keep later latrine loopholes machicolations meurtrieres middle military moat mound mural chambers opening outer bailey outer wall outwork parapet Pembroke Castle Plan and Section portcullis postern probably projecting Ramesseum recesses rectangular rising Rochester Castle Roman roof second storey side siege engines siege towers Skenfrith Castle spiral stairway stands stone storeys in height thick third storey thirteenth century timber town turrets twelfth century upper floors upper storeys vaulted wall towers wall walk wide