Castles once dominated the landscape as seats of power and symbols of wealth and status, providing a means of control over borders, passes, routes and rivers, focusing on die period from the l0th lo the 10th century. and crusading the globe from Welsh motte-and-bailey to Japanese hirajiro. this book acts as architectural reference and visitor guide. It will help you to unpick castle histories and see just how medieval builders met the challenge of constructing enormous edifices, often in formidable locations, that combined defence and dwelling in one. How to Read Castles first builds up a clear vocabulary of castle types, styles and materials, then presents chapters that show how these aspects can be recognized across specific architectural features - from machicolations and moats to donjons and drawbridges - so providing the vital clues that tell the tale within every castle's walls.
