| Forum: | Building And Renovating Your Own Castle |
| Topic: | Greetings, I am new. |
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I have only just discovered this site, and am pleasantly surprised to find such a thing exists. Someday I would like to build, or have built, a home for myself which would be designed at least as much for security, defensibility, and privacy from the prying eyes of snoops and busybodies as for comfort or beauty (though I hope it would be at least reasonably comfortable and attractive). Since I want the place to offer both passive resistance to physical intrusion, *and* be set up in such a way that an active defense that could be mounted by a few people, or even by one person, against multiple home invaders, perhaps even against well-armed, skilled, and determined attackers, naturally I have begun to consider castle designs. Years ago I read a chapter called "Notes on Tactical Residential Architecture" in a book titled _To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth_, by Jeff Cooper. The author stated that certain elements of ancient Roman urban residential design, especially as borrowed and modified by the Spaniards, and subsequently transplanted to the New World, had much to offer to the modern homebuilder concerned about physical security and privacy. He also had something to say about the principles of Monsieur Vauban and the "Vauban Star," and how the Roman/Spanish colonial design features and Vauban's principles might be blended. At this point I am still only in the brainstorming or R&D stage of things -- quite literally "building cloud castles." I will be happy and grateful for any and all advice and links. I would especially like to be put in contact with architects who understand the sort of concerns I have. I should add that I am more interested in how my house will *work* than in how it will look. But I do not want it to look so freakishly odd or obviously defensive as to unecessarily attract unfriendly attention. Thanks to all, Lox Many thanks for your considerate response to my un- or ill-informed first post. I actually haven't checked back in here for a while. I have been rather preoccupied with a family health crisis, plus I felt I had made a fool of myself with my introductory post. Lox What do you see as your main attackers? Intruders, vandals, government agents or mother-in-law? Each has it's own special tactics that need special defences. Erik Erik ------------------ [This message has been edited by Gordon (edited 06-05-2001).] [This message has been edited by Gothic Builder (edited 06-10-2001).] Many, many thanks for the responses, the information, and the kind wishes. I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back. The family health crisis (my mother has cancer, probably terminal) continues, and promises to keep my hands full for some time to come. The advice to look into bastle design is particularly helpful. I did attempt to do a web search, and came up with the information that the bastle is a kind of fortified farmhouse, once unique to the Scottish- English Border Region, especially Northumbria, but later exported, with slight modifications to suit local conditions and available building materials, to many far-flung places, such as Southern Africa. There seem to be a few more-or-less intact surviving examples in the North of England, two or three of which were mentioned by name in online tour guides. There were a couple of photographs showing the structures, but only from a distance, and without any schematic diagrams or floorplans that I could find (but I am quite new to computers, and am a very inexpert web surfer). At any rate, I now have one more jumping off point from which to begin planning -- beside the one about the thick-walled, inward-facing Spanish/ Spanish Colonial-style structure. I think it was Erick who pointed out that the Spanish-type house might look odd outside of regions where it has deep cultural roots, and perhaps anywhere as a stand-alone structure. It might look especially odd in my damp, green, forested part of the world. Thanks for opening my eyes to that fact. Anyhow, thanks again to one and all. I shall check back in from time to time as circumstances permit. Loxosceles reclusaLoxosceles Reclusa Hello fellow castle-fanciers, Peter Don't know if you still visit the site ?
But I don't like that '0' against a question.
As you are no doubt already aware, we don't have lists of builders, designers etc. The world is a hell of a big place, and it would be impossible to do. Not even thinking about legal complications if we did so and something went wrong.
Perhaps one of the easiest designs is something on the line of a 'Bastle', a forified farmhouse. Of course everything would depend on the type of site you had. But a good solid building with living quarters on top of storage\garage\working areas, would take some beating, also giving alround views.
I might add, that even in Italy today, many new properties are still built with iron grills over lower floor windows. It would seem old habits die hard !Loxosceles Reclusa
Peter,duncan Sorry for the time lapse in replying. My Pc has been down due to a lightning strike.
I agree with Peter about the feasibilty of a bastle type structure meeting your 'security needs'. It's simple and easy to find plans for, many houses are built along its lines now and it has alot to offer in money saveings in the construction aspect.Peter L. Reclusa ...
.... not at all, many have asked stranger things than yourself. Duncan is the man for this type of subject, so my reply was just something that came to mind as a practical answer.
We hope your family health problems are easier now ? And please feel free to post further questions.
Though I am sure some of the others will point you to examples of your question already posted by others.Erik Schmidt L Reclusa,
Any house built with the characteristics you have in mind will look somewhat odd.
The Spanish certainly have a great mothod, whereby almost all windows look onto a central courtyard, entry to which is gained from the street only by a single door at ground level. These houses look fine as long as they are built next to eachother. Standing alone they get to look strange, with no windows to the outside, especially if multi leveled.
What situation will your house be in. Will it be "stand alone", in the city, suburbs or out in the country?
There are many basic elements you can borrow from historic designs.
-Build from strong material(brick, stone, concrete), at least close to the ground.
-Thicker walls lower down.
-Strong doors, locking mechanism and door frame at ground or first floor level. Some castles had small doors for night entry or escape, these were often built into the wall at 90 degrees so that there was no room to ram them.
-No windows low down, start windows only on first or second floor.
-Strong shutters on the windows.
-Ability to defend doors and walls from a secure position(ie arrow slits and machiolations).AJR Erik
What sort of special feature is needed to keep out the mother-in-law ?
AndrewErik Schmidt I don't have a mother-in-law yet, but from waht I hear she is particluarly hard to keep out as she tends to have inside help, taking the castle by "intrigue". 
I guess putting down the internal insurrection would be needed.AJR Thanks. Not as easy as it appears, but maybe one day !!!
AndrewGordon St George might be useful!
'Demeure par la verite'
Visit; Gordon's Scottish Castles Resource Page Gothic Builder Try Gargoyles little one's or big, they work pretty good around here,(lol) she don't like them!!!!That is Mother-in-Laws and a few others like some religious groups that like to nock on doors (lol) Loxosceles Reclusa
Peter, Duncan, Erick, AJR, Gordon, and Gothic Builder:
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