Famous Medieval Castles in UK (partial list)
History of Castles in England In England, Castle walls were built 6 to 7 feet thick. Many of the Castles of England were built of stone. Windows were made 12-18 inches wide by 4 ft high. They were closed by wooden shutters which was protected by an iron grille. By the end of the 13th century, glass was beginning to replace wooden shutters however it was very expensive so it was used in moderation.
The Keep was the most important area of the castle. It had the strongest fortifications. The garrison would retreat to the Keep if the outer walls fell. In the Keep was a well for water, chapel, offices, apartments and supplies for a long siege. It was often in line with the outer walls so if it fell the defenders could possibly escape. Rectangular Keeps were strongly built with thick walls and usually 2-4 stories high. Rectangular Keeps were often attacked by sappers or battering ram on one of its corners. Circular Keeps were built in European Castles after the 12th century, the crusades and the return of the crusaders. Circular Keeps were modeled after the Castle Keeps built in the Holy lands. Plumbing: Running Water In England, Westminster had running water as early as 1234. Hampton court built by Cardinal Wolsey and later owned by Henry VIII had an efficient system of pipes which pumped water from Natural springs over 3 miles away. Other Royal palaces and or castles that had running water were: Nonsuch Palace, Hatfield Palace St. James’s Palace, Enfield Palace, Otford Palace, Eltham, Woodstock, Beaulieu, Greenwich and Whitehall. Men were employed to keep the sinks, drains and pipes from clogging. Others were employed to keep the moats clean as fresh water and fish from the moats supplied the castles. Early Bathrooms There were hundreds of people that stayed at the Court. The Queen alone had over 160 ladies in waiting. These people brought their servants and pets with them. Not to mention the many people behind the scenes that kept the castle running. Sanitation became a problem. Men would urinate on the walls inside and outside the Castle even though there were garderobes next to all major rooms and lodgings. These Garderobes had good ventilation and could be flushed with water. But even at that, the garderobes would begin to smell bad and require a thorough cleaning. It was at this point the court would move to another castle or palace. The court moved about 30 times a year. The King had many castles, palaces, houses and hunting lodges throughout the city of London and country. Sometime in the 1530’s, at Hampton court Henry VIII built a 2 story communal public lavatory that could accommodate 14 people at a time. It was called the great house of easement. It drained into the palaces main drain which emptied into the Thames River. Several other palaces and castles had similar facilities installed. Piss Pots or urinals were installed around the palace courtyards for use instead of the walls. However, the problem became so great that a proclamation had to be issued to forbid any person from urinating within the area of the court. References: Weir, Alison, Henry VIII: The King and His Court Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (October 29, 2002)
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The outer walls of the castle were defended by a moat or moats. There was a drawbridge at the entrance or gateway of the castle. This gateway was defended by a walled outwork called a barbican that was located at the front of the gate. Portcullises made of oak and plated with iron lined the gateway passage. The passageway also had Machicolations which were openings in the walls, roof and gates in which projectiles could be thrown at an enemy. The wards or baileys were built at the foot of the mound and enclosed by walls and towers. 
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