So I’ve been working on the Keep of the Castle and there is a lot going on here. Firstly, let’s talk about the location.
This keep backs onto the sea cliff from the overview map, it’s a perilous climb and frankly not an option for an approaching army. I had some people on various channels almost spitting at me furiously for having my main defences of the keep facing inward and not out towards the sea. And to that I say… nothing. Every castle ever built first tries to use the environment as a defence first and then goes from there.
For example, the old city of Dubrovnik, jewel of the Adriatic Sea, is basically a citadel. It’s thinnest walls are on the sea cliff side, despite the fact that naval attack from arch-rivals Venice was a real threat. Why? Because, even in the age of gunpowder, the sea cliffs provided such a defence that the cannons couldn’t find an angle of attack on the castle walls. Too close and they wouldn’t be able to get the angle to hit the wall and when they moved far enough back to get the right angle, the ships’ guns couldn’t make the range.
So the main avenue for attack on Dubrovnik would be by land, and this is also true of my castle. Even with the amazing defences I have in place, it would be suicide to attempt the climb as an alternative.
So let’s go through what I have so far; a rather nasty entrance for starters. Up a set of stairs onto a 20ft long exposed platform. The arrow loops at the moment provide some fire, but I’m going to add two more that provide a more direct fire down the length of this platform. There will be a drawbridge, hence the gap, and then a dual portcullis murder room. These are very common in castles throughout Europe. In a building such as this, being a defencive structure that has been adopted as a nobles home, this room would be decorated and made aesthetically more pleasing. I’m thinking of putting a rug or mat in the hall. The arrow loops may even have been covered up in times of peace.
There is an reception hall, from which people can move west into the Screened Passage or east into the Chapel/Church/Cathedral. I’m not sure exactly what I’m doing with the Cathedral yet, but I am intimately familiar with the various types of worship spaces and the functions of each so I just need to think it through logically. I imagine that the current entrance will be for the lesser nobles and their families, whilst there will be a mezzanine for the owner of the castle and his entourage.
The Great Hall is where I have spent the last few days. There is a lot of research that has gone into the placement of every little thing here. The stairs at the end of the screened passage and behind the Lord’s table. The dias and the small steps leading up to it. Everything has been researched and referenced, considered in relationship to the surrounding architecture and then placed.
I think this is why this build is taking so long. I’m not just throwing down a pretty castle here. Because I’m one of those people who gets really annoyed when a movie portraying a 5th century King Arthur is filled with knights wearing plate armour that wouldn’t become common for another 700-900 years. So I’m desperately trying to keep the castle period specific. I even researched when candelabras and chandeliers became common place to ensure I wasn’t placing them out of period.
My next job is to start on the kitchens. I’ll be including a Buttery (for beer) in the cellar, but that will be accessed through the kitchens. There will be a Lardery, a Pantry, a Bottlery and then of course the kitchen with the ovens where things are cooked. The layout will change as I figure out where each section would go to make the most of heat, sunlight, access to water etc.
And that about wraps up this update! I was hoping to finish the Keep by the end of the year, but work and family commitments had other plans. And family especially, always comes first.
But I’m using the holidays well and I’m hoping to get this Keep in all three levels finished as soon as I can!
Have Fun!