Glossary
Bailey: the courtyard in a castle.
Barbican: the space or courtyard between the inner and outer walls of a castle.
Battlement: on castle walls, a parapet with openings behind which archers would shelter when defending the castle.
Castle: a fortified building or complex of buildings, used both for defense and as the residence for the lord of the surrounding land.
Coat of arms: an arrangement of heraldic emblems, usually depicted on a shield or standard, indicating ancestry and position.
Curtain: the protective wall of a castle.
Daub-and-wattle: type of wall construction in which a latticework of wood or reeds is filled in with mud or plaster.
Doublet: a close-fitting garment worn by men.
Ewer: a pitcher with a wide spout.
Fletching: feathers at the rear end of an arrow that help provide accuracy in shooting.
Furlong: a measurement of distance equal to one-eighth of a mile.
Garrison: a group of soldiers stationed in a castle.
Gatehouse: a fortified structure built over the gateway to a castle.
Great hall: the room in a castle where the meals were served and the main events of the day occurred.
Greave: piece of armor protecting the leg below the knee.
Jerkin: a close-fitting jacket or short coat.
Keep: the main tower or building of a castle.
Lance: a thrusting weapon with a long wooden shaft and a sharp metal point.
Longbow: a hand-drawn wooden bow 5½ to 6 feet tall.
Lute: a stringed musical instrument having a long, fretted neck and a hollow, pear-shaped body.
Lyre: a musical instrument consisting of a sound box with two curving arms carrying a cross bar from which strings are stretched to the sound box.
Minstrel: a traveling entertainer who sang and recited poetry.
Moat: a deep, wide ditch surrounding a castle, often filled with water.
Portcullis: a heavy wooden grating covered with iron and suspended on chains above the gateway or any doorway of a castle. The portcullis could be lowered quickly to seal off an entrance if the castle was attacked.
Reeve: an appointed official responsible for the security and welfare of a town or region.
Saboton: pointed shoes made of steel to protect the feet of a knight in battle.
Salet: a protective helmet usually made of steel, worn by knights in combat.
Scullion: a kitchen servant who is assigned menial work
Sentry walk: a platform or walkway around the inside top of a castle curtain used by guards, lookouts and archers defending a castle.
Solar: a private sitting room or bedroom designated for royalty or nobility.
Standard: a long, tapering flag or ensign, as of a king or a nation.
Stone: a British unit of weight equal to fourteen pounds.
Tunic: a loose-fitting, long-sleeved garment.
Trencher: a flat piece of bread on which meat or other food was served.