Crenellations on buildings
Crenellation is a feature of defensive architecture, most typically found on the battlements of medieval castles. A battlement is a low, defensive parapet.
The act of crenellation is the cutting of crenels into a previously solid and straight parapet wall. Crenels are rectangular gaps or indentations which occur at regular intervals along the parapet, usually measuring 2-3 ft wide. Merlons are the solid widths between the crenels, usually measuring 4-5 ft wide and 3-7 ft high. Arrows and other missiles could be discharged from the parapet through crenels while taking defensive cover behind the merlons.
The presence of crenellations typically indicates that a castle or other building, such as a manor house, was constructed with features intended for defence against a battle or siege. In medieval England, a licence to crenellate had to be granted by the King or other regional authority before a property could be fortified.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
IHBC NewsBlog
Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris reopening: 7-8 December
The reopening is in time for Christmas 2025.
Stirling Prize-winning Salford building to be demolished
The Centenary Building will be bulldozed as part of the wider £2.5bn Crescent regeneration project
Volunteers work to transform 100-year-old ‘hidden’ building into bothy
The building, named Druimnashallag, is located southeast of Oban.
The new ‘Arches for HERs’ Demo site, from the Getty Conservation Institute via HE
It shows how organisations responsible for historic environment records (HER) management can benefit from its powerful features.
ICOMOS-CIF 2024 Symposium celebrates 40th anniversary in Venice
It aims to critically review current practices and theories of conservation of built heritage around the world, and more.
HES establishes new national centre for retrofit of traditional buildings
HES plans to develop the centre follows £1m of funding from UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council.
High Court rejects oral appeal against tower block decision in historic Bloomsbury
The request was for a full Judicial Review hearing against Camden Council’s approval of a 74m-high tower block in Bloomsbury.
Mayor of London and Government announce bold plans to transform Oxford Street
Plans include turning the road into a traffic-free pedestrianised avenue, creating a beautiful public space.
Crystal Palace Subway, for 160th anniversary
The remarkable Grade II* listed Crystal Palace Subway in South London begins a new era following major restoration.
National Trust brings nature back to an area twice the size of Manchester in less than a decade
The National Trust has achieved its aim of creating or restoring 25,000 hectares of priority habitat on its land by 2025.