Homework Help: 10 Interesting Facts About Castles

Teachers often ask students to make reports or write essays about some interesting topics. At history class, you may receive a homework assignment to write about castles. This is a very interesting topic because castles played a big role in the middle ages. In this article, you may read about ten facts related to castles. You may research one of these facts in details to make your own homework report.

1. There were no toilets in castles.

This is one of the features that make castles not such great places for living. Instead of toilets as we know them, castles had so-called “garderobes”, small and cold rooms with holes for waste products.

2. The first castles were made of wood.

The first castles were built by Normans who came to England a thousand years ago. They placed their wooden castles on hills so that it’s more difficult for enemies to reach them.

3. The oldest still-occupied castle is Windsor castle.

This castle was built at about 900 years ago by William I and it’s currently occupied by Queen Elizabeth II. Originally, it was wooden but Henry II rebuilt it with stones.

4. Castles were built mostly for defense.

Although, castles served as homes to royal families and other feudal lords, they were built for defensive purposes in the first place. The design of a castle allows its defenders to withstand even very severe sieges.

5. Spiraling staircases always turned clockwise.

This isn’t just a coincidence. Stairs were designed this way so that it’s more difficult for besieging soldiers to fight on them because people are mostly right-handed. As a result, defenders gained a vast advantage.

6. England has approximately 1500 castle sites.

Unfortunately, not all sites are presented by still standing castles. Most of them are ruined and can be determined as castles only by experts.

7. It was very uncomfortable to live in castles.

While castles were great for defensive purposes, people who lived in them didn’t feel themselves very comfortable. Castles were cold, poorly lit, and didn’t have good air circulation.

8. Castles were boring.

There weren’t many things you could do in a castle. Usually, the most interesting and entertaining activity was eating.

9. The weakest place of a castle is a well.

If a well of a castle wasn’t properly guarded, it often guaranteed the defeat of defenders. For example, if besiegers managed to poison the well, defenders couldn’t survive without water supplies.

10. Castles had private chapels.

Private chapels were probably the most beautiful rooms in castles. They resembled the significance and influence of religion at those times.