Arrowslit
An arrowslit (often also referred to as an arrow loop, loophole or loop hole, and sometimes a balistraria
The interior walls behind an arrow loop are often cut away at an
Balistraria, plural balistrariae, from balister, crossbowman
History
The invention of the arrowslit is attributed to
Elements of fortification such as arrowslits became associated with high social standing and authority.[5] As such, damaging them could be significant as an aspect of slighting.[6]
The successor of arrowslits after the advent of gunpowder was the loophole for firearms.
Design
In its simplest form, an arrowslit was a narrow vertical opening; however, the different weapons used by defenders sometimes dictated the form of arrowslits. For example, openings for longbowmen were usually tall and high to allow the user to shoot standing up and make use of the 6 ft (1.8 m) bow, while those for crossbowmen were usually lower down as it was easier for the user to shoot whilst kneeling to support the weight of the weapon. It was common for arrowslits to widen to a triangle at the bottom, called a fishtail, to allow defenders a clearer view of the base of the wall.[7] Immediately behind the slit there was a recess called an embrasure; this allowed a defender to get close to the slit without being too cramped.[8] The width of the slit dictated the field of fire, but the field of vision could be enhanced by the addition of horizontal openings; they allowed defenders to view the target before it entered range.[7]
Usually, the horizontal slits were level, which created a cross shape, but less common was to have the slits off-set (called displaced traverse slots) as demonstrated in the remains of
When an embrasure linked to more than one arrowslit (in the case of Dover Castle, defenders from three embrasures can shoot through the same arrowslit) it is called a "multiple arrowslit".[10] Some arrowslits, such as those at Corfe Castle, had lockers nearby to store spare arrows and bolts; these were usually located on the right hand side of the slit for ease of access and to allow a rapid rate of fire.[7]
See also
- Loophole (firearm), a protected small opening to discharge a firearm.
- Loophole
References
- ^ a b Rev. Thomas Davidson (1903). Balistraria; Balister. London & Edinburgh. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
Balistraria, bal-is-trar'i-a, n. An aperture or loophole in the wall of a fortification through which crossbowmen might discharge their bolts. Balister (pbs.), name for an arbalester or crossbowman, also an arbalest or crossbow itself. [Low L. ballistrurius, balistra, a variant form of ballista, a crossbow.]
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ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)[permanent dead link] - ^ "balistraria". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ^ "7.10 Egyptian Forts in Nubia and Indigenous Peoples There". worldhistory.biz. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
- ^ a b Jones & Renn 1982, p. 445.
- ^ Wheatley 2004, p. 2
- ^ Liddiard 2005, p. 68
- ^ a b c Friar 2003, pp. 180–181.
- ^ Friar 2003, p. 104
- ^ Jones & Renn 1982, p. 451
- ^ Friar 2003, p. 182
Bibliography
- De Lange, William (2021). An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles. Groningen: Toyo Press. pp. 600 pages. ISBN 978-9492722300.
- Friar, Stephen (2003), The Sutton Companion to Castles, Stroud: Sutton Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7509-3994-2
- Jones, Peter; Renn, Derek (1982), "The military effectiveness of Arrow Loops: Some experiments at White Castle", Château Gaillard: Études de castellologie médiévale, IX–X, Centre de Recherches Archéologiques Médiévales: 445–456
- Liddiard, Robert (2005), Castles in Context: Power, Symbolism and Landscape, 1066 to 1500, Macclesfield: Windgather Press, ISBN 9780954557522
- Wheatley, Abigail (2004), The Idea of the Castle in Medieval England, York: York Medieval Press