Castles: Seen By The Light Of A Thousand Candles

Part I of Essay
"Feudal society was defined by the castle, and was reflected in its development from a wooden defense structure to a stone architectural complex, with room for many houses within its walls." Castles emerged as part of Europe’s feudalisation, perhaps as early as the 9th cen ....

Part II of Essay
.... castles were made of timber-- quick, easy, and inexpensive compared to older castles. Unfortunately, they were vulnerable to boring, battering, and (most dangerously) burning, so the benefits of stone rapidly gained popularity. Some hedged a little with structures of stone and timber together, but many had their castles built completely of stone. Castles could consist of a tower set atop a hill or mote (15 to 30 feet high) surrounded by a wall at the edge of the top of the mote and a wet or dry ditch at the bottom. Natural hills were favored f ....