Arrow Slit Collection

How to adjust the firing posts and how to choose the angle of the walls
BMR230845 How to adjust the firing posts and how to choose the angle of the walls, illustration from Opera nuova di fortificare by Girolamo Cataneo Novarese (fl)

The top of the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem
Israel, Jerusalem, The rampart over the Damascus Gate in the Old City. The Damascus Gate is one of three gates through the north wall of the Old City

Bar Gate, South Side, 1898. Creator: Unknown
Bar Gate, South Side, 1898. Bargate is a Grade I listed medieval gatehouse in the city centre of Southampton, England built as part of the Norman town walls, c1180 of stone and flint

Swansea Castle, South Wales, 2010. Swansea Castle was founded by Henry de Beaumont in 1106. The only remains visible today are part of the rectangular new castle dating from the late 13th-early 14th

A Man of the Time of Richard I, 1907. Artist: Dion Clayton Calthrop
A Man of the Time of Richard I, 1907. From English Costume, painted and described by Dion Clayton Calthrop. [Adam & Charles Black, London, 1907]

Bedford lorries on site during works at the Tower of London. 1937

The Ypres Tower at Rye, built by William of Ypres, Earl of Kent, to protect the coast. 6th April 1923

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Discover the ancient art of arrow slit architecture, a defensive technique used in castles and fortifications since medieval times. Adjusting the firing posts and choosing the angle of the walls were crucial for effective defense against enemy attacks. From the top of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem to the Bar Gate in South Side (1898), and from Swansea Castle in South Wales (2010) to the Ypres Tower at Rye (built by William of Ypres, Earl of Kent), this timeless design has stood the test of time. Witness the precision of Dion Clayton Calthrop's depiction of a man of the time of Richard I (1907), and the Bedford lorries on site during works at the Tower of London (1937). The Ypres Tower at Rye, a testament to medieval engineering, showcases the enduring legacy of arrow slits in castle design.