posted 08-26-2001 10:30 PM         

Fare thee well,

posted 08-27-2001 08:17 AM            

Basically, castles will have at least one set of defences, made up of towers, walls and buildings. Some castle have two or more sets of defences such as the concentric walls of some English castles.
All will have a main gate, through which one would enter during the day. It would be closed at night.
Guards would be posted on the towers/walls and at the gate. If there is a gatehouse/gatetower then the guards often had their quaters there.
Inside the castle would be a courtyard, or a series of courtyards depending on how complex it's defences. Sometimes the courtyard is nothing more than a passage between the buildings. Many buildings, such as stables, knight's quaters etc would often line and open onto the coutyard. A keep or strong tower was common, and commonly accessed by steps to the 1st floor.
The great hall, if there was one, would either be in the keep or a larger building along with the king's/owner's quaters, kitchen, document's room and chappel. The great hall was used for feasts, entertaining visitors, offical business and housing guests. Many castles had seperate knight's quaters and larger ones would have had the space to house nobility, especially royalty in seperate accomodation.
It's unlikely visiting royalty would be greeted by a servant, but by the nobles and anyone else of high rank.

I would suggest you find a castle plan with good labels so you can work out where everything is, then just work off that plan when writing. Some good pictures may help you visualize it.

posted 08-27-2001 03:06 PM         

**It's unlikely visiting royalty would be greeted by a servant**

Let me quickly clarify what I meant, so I don't sound quite so dense. (Hehe...I was tired when I wrote the post, so it didn't make all that much sense.) What I meant was: How would visiting royalty enter the castle (but more like "where" would they enter.) and How/where would a servant or guard enter the castle?

Question I forgot to ask: Where would armor be made (the armory?) and would/could this be located in the castle? =)

Thanks again! =)

posted 08-28-2001 09:08 AM            

Royalty would enter a castle throught the main gates just as all other people, servants and guards included. Castles often had one or more smaller doors in the walls( as well as in the main gate doors), but they were for nightime use or during seige. It is well documented that the main gates were closed at night, and usually opened for no-one.

Armour was traded extensively throughout Europe, especially in the later middle ages. Milan was well known for its armour production, mostly done as mass production in large armouries(factories). Toledo was well known for it's quality swords.
If you were wealthy, you could afford the best, and so your armour and weapons may well have come from a far away amoury. Kings and wealthy nobles had their own armourer to look after and repair their armour, and he would travel with them on campaigns. Many castles and even monasteries had their own blacksmith's workshop to make tools, hinges, household items and possibly armour and weapons. Making armour, especially the later complex plate armour, was a specialized skill which was a full time occupation for specialist craftsmen. It is possible that larger castles had their own armoury, although I've only read of armouries located in towns where they had ready access to suppliers of raw materials as well as customers.

Hope that helps. Any more questions just ask.

posted 08-28-2001 11:39 AM         

Oh no! =)

Thanks so much! I appreciate your help!

And I'm sure that I'll have more questions, LOL. =)