Above: Newport Castle in Wales, showing a 14th-century watergate directly beneath the central tower, allowing access to and from the tidal River Usk. People need water (and so do livestock). read more
Some castles were built near the water and had a postern, or water gate. A few castles even had docking facilities for ships. For other castles not near the water, supplies were moved by horse drawn carts or by man power. read more
Medieval Castles - Water, Wells Water supplies were absolutely critical to medieval castle life, not just for everyday use but also as a scarce resource during sieges. Spring water was of course ideal but more usual was a dug well. read more