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READY WATER SUPPLIES--The
Hermitage Water in the foreground reflects the East Wall of the
castle which was consider the "business" side of the looming fortress. Both the
east and west
sides of the castle are actually two distinct towers that are joined by a arch
over a passageway
leading into an interior ground-level.
ARCHER'S SLOTS--A close-up of one section of the exterior walls of The Hermitage Castle reveals narrow slots let into the thick 100-foot-high walls at strategic places for the better defense of the castle. The large openings near the summit of the wall are actually sizable doors that opened onto a temporary wood platform that the defenders used to move about to counter attacks. Because of the height of the walls, the platform was above the reach of arrows released at ground-level.
VIEW FROM THE WEST--Efforts to keep The Hermitage Castle militarily modern continued into the 16th Century with the addition of a "Ravelin"--or, cannon-piece platform before the "social" side of the already aged structure. The Ravelin is the elevated mass with grass-covered side extending from the large opening in the east wall. Gun ports also were let into the walls of the fortress-castle but seige warfare quickly obsolesed the castle forever.
Photos courtesy of Team Member John Ford and are copyrighted by Team Liddell et al, 2005. All rights reserved.