We've been away for a week in France (campsite by the Dordogne). Those who know the area will know you can't go 1km without tripping over a medieval village / castle / church.
We popped over to Castelnaud - a proper castle which has seen action throughout its history (including coming under German mortar attack in 1944!. The castle had a number of modifications over the years - including the addition of an artillery tower to counter-fire on cannons brought to bear (and including a nifty ground-level cannon port that would obliterate anyone attacking the main gate.
Its interesting to see how the design (around the Renaissance period) cleverly incorporated the introduction of cannon and arquebus. There were small holes all around the gates which meant that an attacker would be under continual fire all the way up the hill, by and through the gates and in the main courtyard.
The castle also had an impressive collection of seige equipment including trebuchets and mangolets. There is also a graphic description of one Simon de Montfort being hit square on the head by a rock from a small catapult. The missile crushed his head, his eyes popped out of his head and his brains were liberally spread across the countryside. They then add the unecessary line that he dropped dead from his horse.
Anyway - some pics and descriptions.
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| Trebuchet and mangolets. Apparently they shoot these live during the summer againts the castle walls! |
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Junior with a bombard. They fire this beasty off as well.
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Innocuous hole in the wall....
This is on the other side - an arquebus! |
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| The castle included the addition of wooden ramparts that overhang the castle walls - and give the defender a great view of the gates. Anyone coming up the ramp can come under fire. |
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| #2 son with the ground level gun port. They can shoot you but you can't shoot them! |
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| The castle from the side - showing the main gate and its commanding view of the river |
