| Forum: | Castles In General & Medieval History |
| Topic: | Moats |
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[This message has been edited by wurdsmiff (edited 10-29-99).]
------------------Carolyn Was it possible for a moat to be fed by a lake? If so, how was the flow of water controlled? Thanks!
wurdsmiff At Lochmaben Castle in Dumfrieshire, Scotland, the castle sits on a promontory which was isolated by the digging of a canal-like moat (now dry since the water level on the loch was dropped) fed by Castle Loch. There is nothing to suggest that the flow of water was controlled.
Great care was taken in choosing castle sites in order to maximise the difficulties of assault, and Lochs(orlakes) make great defensive barriers. That is why so many were built on islands.
It made more sense simply to build the castle close to the lake, using it as a defensive barrier than to go to all the trouble of moving the water. wurdsmiff An afterthought, as the defensive nature of buildings became less of a priority (late 17th century in Scotland), and landscaped gardens began to appear, it became a feature of such places to have an artificial lake. Often this was an adaptation of a natural feature such as a deep pool of a burn (stream), or by flooding and damming a pond. At this time sluices and drains became more common, as it was necessary to control the water to prevent flooding. Such features were rarely (if at all) used in the building of moats prior to this, since the need was eliminated by the way the site was chosen. Flooding would enhance the moat, the more water the better the defence, and if the moat dried the ground would be marshy anyway making it difficult to cross in a hurry.
Philip Davis You are quite right to consider the control of water flow since a water filled moat rapidly becomes a rather shallow ditch, of much less defensive capability, if it is drained. It becomes quite important, therefore, to protect the dam, which formed the lake, and the sluice gate, which regulated it, from attackers. Caerphilly castle http://www.castlewales.com/caerphil.html , in South Wales, and Kenilworth castle, in the English midlands, both incorporate the dams into the fortifications of the castles and they become large and impressive stone walls. However often the dams were small but well overlooked by towers. Sluice gates can be very small, little more than a plank of wood in a notch in the dam wall. The dams (and moats) were made watertight by the use of puddled clay (Clay that is pounded to remove cracks and airholes) where it was needed to prevent seepage. Carreg Cennan http://www.castlewales.com/carreg.html castle in Wales is notable example of a moat with a water proof layer of clay. This castle on top of a hill has a partial moat protecting the main door but the main function of this moat was to be a cistern to keep a water supply for the castle.
Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them,
Psychiatrists charge the rent, art therapists do the interior design
and nurses clean out the garderobes!
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