Task 1
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READ the passages below.

They give you some details of the way that castles were defended and
how they could be attacked.

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Castle defences - high walls and strong towers, built on a
high or defensible spot, were the secret of a castles defences.

Surprise attacks on castles were unusual - the defenders usually had
time to prepare for an attack.

Castle walls were usually more than 8 feet thick.

Crenels - the gaps between the raised stonework on the top of the walls.

If, during an attack or a siege, food was in danger of running out,
women, children and non-combatants would be put out of the castle.

e.g. 1346, the Siege of Calais, the defenders put out the sick and
injured. The attackers would not let them pass and many of them
starved to death. Those who did not were reduced to eating dogs and rats.

Castle roofs were made of materials that would not burn. e.g. lead.

Portcullis - oak and metal grille that could be lowered to protect the 
castle entrance.

Trebuchet - rather like a catapult, it was used to fire the bodies
of dead animals (bringing disease) or pots of lime (which burned
the skin) into a castle during an attack or siege. Have a look at
the PAINT file called HDS and HDS1 - this shows attackers catapulting
severed human heads into a castle.

Mantlet - a portable wooden barrier that gave shelter and protection
to archers near the castle walls.

Mangonel - this catapulted objects low against the castle walls.

Mining - during a siege, soldiers might dig a mine under the castle walls,
making them collapse.

Cat, rat or tortoise - a wheeled shelter that soldiers could use to get
near the castle walls (rather like a shed on wheels).

The belfry or bell tower - a tower used during a siege. The tower was tall
enough to look over castle walls.

e.g. at the siege of Kenilworth castle in 1266, 200 archers and 11
catapults were in just one belfry.

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Task 2
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EXAMINE the !PAINT file called MINE.

DESCRIBE in your own words what is happening.


Task 3
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EXAMINE the file called FIRE.


DESCRIBE what this machine is and what it would be used for.

                                                            
EITHER
 
- using !DRAW come up with a plan of how to build this machine (describe the materials that you would use).


AND/OR

- using material in the classroom, make a working model of the machine.


Task 4
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EXAMINE the file called HEADS.


IMAGINE that you are present at the siege of this castle. WRITE to a friend,
describing the scene.

You can be one of the ATTACKERS or DEFENDERS.


Task 5
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EXAMINE the files called FIGHT and FIGHT1.

The action in these illustrations is taking place in front of the walls
of a castle.

IMAGINE that you are a famous military historian.

You have just obtained these manuscripts for your museum.

DESIGN the front page of a newspaper - headline/photograph/article/adverts -
that tells people why they should come to your museum to look at these 
manuscripts.

