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Medieval Castles
Castles of later periods
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Raglan Castle has a moated tower that
is isolated from the rest of the castle
much like the keeps of its predecessors.
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The moat around the tower at
Raglan castle.
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The castles built in the latter half of the thirteenth century make great consideration of defence but in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, their was greater emphasis on comfort. Bodium castle in Sussex was built in the late fourteenth century and displays many of the military aspects of the Welsh castles such as a rectangular plan, boldly projecting corner towers, and a gatehouse. Inside, the castle is quite different, it has a domestic courtyard arrangement including buttery, kitchen, pantry, offices and private family accommodation.
Other examples are Bolton, Wressle and Sherrif Hutton that put domestic arrangements even more to the fore. Raglan castle in South Wales belongs to the early Fifteenth century and has more in common with keep castles due to its great tower that has its own surrounding moat and drawbridge that cuts off the tower entirely from the rest of the castle. The development of the castle went through many stages of change and improvement in terms of fortification as improvements were necessitated by the advancements of siege warfare and successful schemes of defence spread through the centuries. The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries saw the defensive improvements regress and the return of older forms of fortification as the desire for more comfortable living had its effect.
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