Quadrangular castle

Bolton Castle, in England.

A quadrangular castle or courtyard castle is a type of castle characterised by ranges of buildings which are integral with the curtain walls, enclosing a central ward or quadrangle, and typically with angle towers. There is no keep and frequently no distinct gatehouse. The quadrangular form predominantly dates from the mid to late fourteenth century and signals the transition from defensively to domestically oriented great houses. The four walls are also known as ranges.

Quadrangular castles typically display a sophisticated and complex approach to the planning of internal social spaces.[1][2] There are many quadrangular castles around Britain, for example: Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, and Bolton Castle.

One of the earliest quadrangular castles in Germany is Neuleiningen, of which substantial ruins remain.

References

  1. Faulkner, P (1958). "Domestic planning from the 12th to the 14th centuries". Archaeological Journal 115: 150–83.
  2. Faulkner, P (1963). "Castle planning in the fourteenth century". Archaeological Journal 120: 215–35.