The Keep

At the heart of a castle is its tower, known as the keep.

The number of floors within the keep depended on its size and the wealth of its owner.

All Keeps contained a large room known as the Great Hall.

The Curtain Wall

A strong wall was built around the outside of the keep and the bailey

The Bailey

The enclosed area between the inside of the wall and the keep.

The Gate House

The castles front door was very well protected. The gatehouse faced the only bridge over the moat.

The Moat

A deep, wide ditch surrounding the whole Castle complex. Castles were built near a water supply such as a river, stream, lake or spring. Some castle moats were up to 30 feet deep and usually measured at least 12 feet in width.