Keep

Rochester zamek fc11 (cropped)

Etampes Donjon - enhanced

Donjon chateau a motte saint sylvain.jpg

Royal Naval Dockyard Bermuda circa 1899 Ordnance Survey map by Lieutenant Arthur Johnson Savage, RE

Keep

Keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Keeps were the central feature of many castles and were used as a last line of defense. They were often the residence of the lord of the castle and served as a symbol of power and authority.

Etymology

The term "keep" originates from the Middle English word "kepen," meaning to hold or protect. The word evolved to describe the main tower of a castle, which was designed to be the most secure part of the structure.

History

Keeps first appeared in the 10th century and became a common feature in Norman castles. The design and construction of keeps evolved over time, with early keeps being simple wooden structures and later ones being built from stone. The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 led to the widespread construction of stone keeps, such as the White Tower in the Tower of London.

Architecture

Keeps were typically rectangular or square in shape, although some were circular or polygonal. They were built with thick walls to withstand attacks and often had multiple floors. The ground floor was usually used for storage, while the upper floors contained living quarters and defensive positions. Access to the keep was often restricted to a single entrance, which could be heavily fortified.

Functions

Keeps served several functions within a castle:

• Defense: As the most secure part of the castle, the keep was designed to be the last line of defense during a siege.
• Residence: The lord of the castle and their family often lived in the keep, which provided them with protection and comfort.
• Symbol of Power: The keep was a visible symbol of the lord's power and authority over the surrounding land.

Decline

The use of keeps declined in the late Middle Ages as the design of castles evolved. Advances in siege warfare and the development of new defensive structures, such as concentric castles, made keeps less effective. By the 15th century, many keeps were abandoned or repurposed.

Notable Keeps

• White Tower in the Tower of London
• Rochester Castle
• Dover Castle
• Windsor Castle

See Also

• Castle
• Fortification
• Medieval architecture
• Norman architecture