Castles in the Middle Ages

This week Danièle talks about castles: what they were like, what they were for, and where we get some of the everyday words we use to describe them.

Some of the terms described in this episode include motte and bailey, keep (donjon), crenellation, concentric walls, trebuchets, undermining, drawbridges, murder holes, oubliette, Great Hall and trestle tables.

Here are some of the castles talked about in this episode:

Clifford’s Tower

The White Tower

Rochester Castle

Stirling Castle

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Top Image: Conwy Castle in Wales. Photo by Mark Walker / Flickr