medieval-atlas/social-and-cultural/434

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Defence with guns The development of large artillery in the fifteenth century posed an enonnous threat to traditional, high, stone-walled castles. [t was also seen that guns had potential in defence. Several Scottish castles built from the late fifteenth century onwards show the influence of guns, typically the provision of embrasures for their use, but in a few cases like Dunbar blockhouse (about 1520) and the spurworks at Edinburgh and Stirling castles (1540s) a considerable departure from traditional castle design to withstand the impact of enemy artillery. In the wars of the Rough Wooing (1547-50) a radically different type of fortification was introduced first by the English and then by the French forces in Scotland. Trace ilaiienne fortifications with massive, low earth works and large pointed bastions were a considerable improvement on traditional castles. They could mount large guns defensively and, most important, were so designed that Noltland Castle Earl's Palace, Birsay Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall Balvenie Castle Tolquhon Castle Aberdeen Dunnottar Castle Castle Menzies Elcho Castle Claypotts Castle Balgillo Fort St Andrews Castle St Andrews Cathedral Burleigh Castle Lochleven Castle Macduffs Castle Ravenscraig Castle Bumtisland Fort Inchkeith Fort Leith Fort Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Town Walls Craigmillar Castle Inchcolm Fort Inchgarvie Castle Blackness Castle Linlithgow Palace Kinneil House Stirling Castle Stirling Town Walls Inveresk Fort Cadzow Castle Craignethan Castle Boghall Castle Drochill Castle Peebles Town Wall Crichton Castle Luffness Fort Tantallon Castle Haddington Fort Bames Castle Dunbar CastleIFort Dunglass Fort Eyemouth Fort Lauder Fort Newark Castle Littledean Castle Caelaverock Castle Threave Castle Castle Semple all approaches could be raked with gunfire. These forts in Scotland perfonned well. The only one of strength overrun in a direct as sault was the English fort at Balgillo outside Dundee, taken by a combined French and Scottish force in February 1550 after an artil lery bombardment. On the other hand both the English in Haddington in 1548-9 and the French in Leith in 1559-60 with stood major assaults. Trace italienne fortifications seem to have had practically no influence on Scottish fortifications in the sixteenth century. Of course, complicated earthworks may not have been deemed appro priate for many nobles' and lairds' houses but several did show a concern for defence which might have been better served by some such system. They could also have been applied to the major royal castles and some of the burghs. The 'French spur' at Stirling castle may be the responsibility of the French about 1559. 1~ t& ~----, 2~~ 0 ~ kms 0..... QO ; -.-:Z~5~5::;:S):...,..,..:..7~5~1 0204060 miles 0 38 .... •39 0 34 • Castles, towers and precincts before about 1550 ... Trace italienne forts (English and French) o Castles, towers and precincts after about 1550 Defence with guns before about 1600 DHC 434

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