Castles were built during the Middle Ages to protect people. Lords ruled over local lands and built castles in the center to defend themselves and launch attacks. Castles housed lords and their families, soldiers, and servants. They were made of wood originally and later stone. After the Middle Ages, castles were built less as cannons could knock down walls.

1. CASTLES
a. Read the text that follows about castles and fill in the gaps with the verbs in the
correct tense. Work in pairs.
b. Work in pairs. Read the text again and answer the questions:
What was a castle?
___________________________________________________________
When did people build castles?
__________________________________________________
Why did they build castles?
____________________________________________________
Where did lords make their castles?
_______________________________________________
Who lived in castles?
_________________________________________________________
Why did people stop making castles?
______________________________________________
People ________________(build) castles during the Middle Ages. They
_____________(be) a type of home that was built to protect the people inside.
During the Middle Ages, much of Europe was divided up between lords and princes.
They _________________(will) rule the local land and all the people who

2. ______________(live) there. In order to defend themselves, they _____________ (build)
their homes as large castles in the centre of the land they ____________(rule).
People who _____________ (live) in the castle included the lord, his lady and their
family, other officials, such as the constable who ____________(be) in charge when
the lord was away; the soldiers who were responsible for its defence, the servants,
such as cooks, craftsmen and spinners and other peasants.
Lords and their soldiers ___________(can) defend from attacks as well as prepare to
launch attacks of their own from their castles. Originally castles were made of wood
and timber. Later they were replaced with stone to make them stronger. Castles
were often built at the top of hills or where they could use some natural features of
the land to help with their defence.
After the Middle Ages castles weren't built as much, especially as larger artillery and
cannon were designed that could easily knock down their walls.
c. Work in pairs. Look at the text again and...
- circle 12 nouns that refer to people - underline 3 types of material
d. Work in pairs. Fill in the table.
VERB NOUN ADJECTIVE
protect
defend
attack
e. Work in pairs. Match the two columns.

3. Middle attack
launch stronger
natural features
local Ages
make land
f. Work in pairs. Choose the correct preposition.
In order for/to be responsible for/about defend from/with in/at the top of
in/at the centre of be away/out replace for/with knock out/down be made
of/from
g. Study the following list of some castle features. Work in groups and try to label
the castle.
Castle Features
Everything about a castle was built to keep the people inside safe. It was made up
of many different parts – not just one building.
Although castle design varied widely throughout Europe, there were some similar
features that many castles incorporated:
1. Moat
A moat was a defensive ditch around the castle. It could be filled with water
and there was typically a drawbridge across it to get to the castle gate.

4. 2. Keep
The keep was a large tower and the last place of defence in a castle.
3. Curtain Wall
The wall around the castle which had a walkway on it from which defenders
could fire arrows down onto attackers.
4. Arrow Slits
These were slits cut into the walls that allowed archers to shoot arrows at
attackers, but remain safe from return fire.
5. Gatehouse
The gatehouse was built at the gate to help reinforce the castle defences at its
weakest point.
6. High walls
The walls of the castles were very high making it hard for attackers to climb
over.
7. Battlements
Battlements were at the tops of castle walls. Generally they were cut out from
walls allowing defenders to attack while still being protected by the wall.
8. Palisade
Fortification wall made of wood.
9. Ramparts
They were steep banks of earth or rubble. Attackers had to climb over them to
get closer to the castle.
10. Flanking Towers

5. Towers built as part of the curtain wall. Castles with curtain walls with flanking
towers were more difficult to capture.
11. Portcullis
A spiked wooden or metal barrier helped protect the doors from fire and
battering. It was lowered by chains from a chamber above the gateway.
12. Murder Holes
Murder holes were openings in the ceiling just in front of a gate or in the
passage beyond. They were used by defenders in the chamber above to drop
hot liquids down on the unfortunate attacker.
13. Bailey
An inner courtyard of a castle, sometimes called a Basilica.
14. Barbican
Fortifications, usually consisting of walls and small towers built in front of a
gatehouse to provide additional protection to the gateway.
15. Battlement
Fighting position on the top of the castle wall or tower.
16. Turret
Small, narrow tower on top of a building or a larger tower.
Read more at: http://www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_castles.php
https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/castles
http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/castles/defence.htm
http://www.inlandregion.org/sca/misc/castle_parts.php