Peel tower
Peel tower (also Pele tower ) is called a special type of construction of buildings, which are mainly to be found on both sides along the Anglo- Scottish border in areas that have suffered in earlier times under raids of the Border Reivers. Its shape is reminiscent of early medieval mountain peace, they also considered the forerunner of the Tower houses.
Although the name is traced back to the Latin word " pilum " but means " Post" or " sharpened rod ".
Description
Traces of the precursor can be traced back to prehistoric times. Made from brushwood fence for the cattle was replaced over time by walls made of field stones, sod and clay, which were then reinforced with sharpened wooden stakes. This paved areas, usually also protected by an outer ditch, were called " piles ", " pales " or " pele ". In the early 12th century residential towers were built within these fortifications increased; First of wood and clay, from the late 13th century but more and more of stone.
Scottish Peel tower were erected mostly square with a side length of 10 to 12 meters, and from mostly unprocessed field stones. Your wall thicknesses could be up to two meters, while they were usually three stories high. The bottom floor consisted of one or two vaulted cellars as storage warehouse and stables for the cattle; without passage to the upper floors. Access to the upper floors was carried out by an externally mounted ladder or narrow wooden stairs, the door often consisted of two or three interconnected doors and various locks. The two upper floors each had a room and were connected by a narrow spiral staircase. Were window, if any, to close on the top floor with small and massive stores, but designed on the lower floor only as loopholes. The roof was covered with slate or other large stone slabs.
The British Peel tower were usually rectangular and considerably larger; in up to 6 storeys height could Dimensions of 16 by 18 meters can be achieved. The walls had a thickness of up to 3 meters; otherwise resembled the internal structure of the Scottish Peel tower. Outwardly, however, differences were seen, here finely carved stones were often used, also were on the top floor extra defense facilities, such as military bay window, attached.
The typical Peel tower was not of the nobility, but by landowners, the Lairds built. They are therefore to be found only in smaller Siedungsplätzen. Due to their size, they were not permanently inhabited, but served as a refuge in acute danger. However, this was not their only purpose: The rows of the towers on both sides of the border and a decree of the Scottish Parliament from 1455, which prescribed a fire basket on the top of the tower to alert during the day with smoke and all the night with fire, the neighbors they made on English and Scottish side to an effective pre-alarm.
Modeled after the Peel tower ordinary people built houses in remote areas of the Bastle.