View source for Keep

Part of a [[castle]], a '''keep''' was the large [[tower]] which the [[Norman]]s built all over [[England]] on the top of their [[motte]]s.  Generally it was square and made of [[stone]]; initially probably only 2 or 3 stories, but as building techniques improved some got to 5 floors high.

As castle-building developed, the keep became, variously, the main tower in a curtain wall, the principal tower of a more complicated castle, or simply the central building where the main "offices" (such as the [[constable]], the [[steward]], the [[treasurer]]) were housed.


[[category:architecture]]