Page 64 - Scotland's Unsung Castles

Burg - German word for castle.
Crenel. The low part of a Battlement. The high part is known
Burh – Old English fortified settlement. as the Merlons. Defends use the Crenel to shoot arrow through

Buttery: Large cellar room for storing beverage and foodstuff. and the Merlons for protection. Crenel and Merlons usually trav-
erse the length of the Battlements
Buttress: A heavy structure built against a wall or building. A
Crenellation. Used to describe the Crenel and Merlons con-
Buttress gives added support to the structure.
figuration at the top of the Battlements.
C Crocket - Ornamental curved foliage, used on the edges of
spires or gables
Cable moulding. Moulding that looks like the strands of a Crosswall. A wall dividing a room. Sometimes only a tempo-
rope rary division.

Capital – The stone (Usually decretive) wedged between the top of Crownwork – A fortification in front of main defences, con-
the column and the heavy load bearing down on the column. sisting of a bastion, with walls both on the sides and running back
Casemate Wall: Double built wall with cambers between them towards the main fortification.
to help protect the wall against battering rams and cannon shot. Cupola - A roof (Possibly armoured) in the form of a dome.
Cap-house – Small watch room build on the top of a tower. Ac- Curtain Wall - A defensive wall between two fortified towers
cess by way of a spiral staircase, the small room could usually accom- or bastions of a castle.
modate one watchman comfortably.
Counter-Castle (Siege-castle) Build to harass unfriendly
Close (Scot) A passage giving access to other buildings. neighbours. Usually these were only temporary structures. Also
Clerestory: The window-wall above the rooflines of the lower used as a temporary Siege castle in order to blockade a castle or
provide protection for attackers
aisles for admitting more light.
Colonnade Row of equally spaced columns Courtyard: The central open court in a building.
Crow-steps or Corbie. (Scot) Square stones resembling
Commendator. If no regular abbot is available a person ap-
pointed to oversee the revenue of an abbey. Steps on the top of a gable wall.
Crypt. Room beneath the ground
Concentric castle: A castle with two rings of walls, the out-
er wall usually lower than the inner wall. Cusp - Point formed by two intersecting arcs.
Coomb Ceiling (Scot) A sloping ceiling, similar to the sloping Cyclopean. (Greek) Masonry: immense stones of irregular
ceiling of an attic form.
Corbel. Stone protruding from the face of a wall. Usually used to D
provide support for a beam or roof truss
Daub - A clay sealing mixture applied over wattle.
Chancel - The space around the altar of a church.
Dais: A raised platform to give prominence to anything on it,
Chemise wall – Initially a low wall encircling the keep, protecting
usually a throne or seat of judgement.
the base of the tower but later became more fortified, lined with a
bastion or a bulwark of earth. Dead-ground. A blind spot, where defenders cannot see
the attackers.
Chevron - Zig-zag moulding, based on the inverted V
Demesne: An extensive piece of land, possible an estate own
Clunch - Hardened clay
by the lard.
Cob – A mix of sand, clay and straw. Usually used for making walls
Donjon: (French) A term for the largest and most important
Column – Usually refers to the circular part of a Pillar. tower of a castle; the great tower.
Concentric - Having two sets of walls, one inside the other. Dormer – A Window in a roof.
Constable: Official in charge of a castle when the owner is absent. Dovecot (DooCot: Scots) - A birdhouse for doves or pigeons.
Coping - Covering stones. Drawbridge: A castle entry bridge, across a moat or ditch. It
Corbel - A triangular bracket of brick or stone projection from a can be raised, preventing access to the castle.
wall which could supports a beam or similar structure. Today the pop- Dressing – Decoratively finished carved or smoothed stone-
ular use for Corbel is purely decorative. work.
Cornice - Decorative projection along the top of a wall. Drum-Tower – A large, circular tower, but much shorter in

Counterguard – A fortification in front of the moat. Usually a height than a normal tower.
long low rampart made of earth. Drystane (Scots) Drystone wall build without mortar.
Counterscarp - inner side of a ditch or moat. The outer side be- Dun Dum An iron age, drystone, fortified enclosure, similar to
ing known as the Scarp. Invaders would cross the moat or ditch by a broch but not necessarily round.
climbing down the Counterscarp and exit by the Scarp
Dungeon - A dark cell (often underground) for holding prison-
Course - A layer of masonry. ers. Sometimes, used to describe the main tower within the walls
Crannog – (Scot) An old dwelling on an artificial or fortified island. of a medieval castle or fortress

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