This reference brings to life every aspect of castles and castle life: why and how they were built, the weapons that were used in them, their social life in ordinary and extraordinary times, their provisioning, their maintenance and their changing role in a continually evolving political climate. The book is divided into two parts. First there are 14 thematic chapters, ranging from details of castle life to the different kinds of castles to be found in different parts of the country. The second part comprises a gazetteer which describes over 1000 of the most important castles in Britain and Ireland.