Description
Book SynopsisThrough colourful illustrations and accounts of actual sieges in every chapter, you'll discover how armies from medieval times up to the English Civil War attacked and besieged British castles and how changing weaponry shaped the defences we see the remains of today. As castle design developed, attackers had to change their tactics and introduce new siege methods to bring the walls down. The weapons, siege engines and mining techniques used are described in detail here, alongside diagrams showing how they worked and details of the defensive structures erected to counter them.
Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1 THE MEDIEVAL WAR MACHINE Kings, Knights and Castles Chapter 2 MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLES Timber, Arrows and Fire Chapter 3 THE GREAT STONE KEEPS Battlements, Mining and Mangonels Chapter 4 CURTAIN WALLED CASTLES Towers, Moats and Trebuchets Chapter 5 CONCENTRIC DEFENCES Machicolations, Barbicans and Ballistas Chapter 6 TOWER HOUSES AND COASTAL FORTS Gatehouses, Gunpowder and Canon Chapter 7 CASTLES RE FORTIFIED The English Civil War Places to Visit Further Information Glossary Index
