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Murder holes at Bodiam Castle. A murder hole or meurtrière is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders could shoot, throw or pour harmful substances or objects such as rocks, arrows, scalding water, hot sand, quicklime, or boiling oil, down on attackers.
There are window seats in large upper floor windows which still allow for a great view. There are two murder-holes, one between the ground and first floor, the second between the first and second floor. [21] A wall walk ran on top of the castle. The staircase is mural, starting left of the entrance door and running clockwise in the walls.
The earliest part of the castle is the four-storey tower. [4] The ground and third floors have vaulted ceilings, with Irish crenelations on the parapet, from which there are views of Bannow Bay and Waterford Harbour, important for defence. The entrance doorway is protected by a machicolation and murder-hole.
The castle was restored in the 1990s, including reroofing and plastering with lime mortar. [8] Late medieval wall paintings were discovered on the first and fourth levels; [ 9 ] they have been compared to those at Abbeyknockmoy and Clare Island Abbey .
The castle is open to the public, having been partially restored, and displays objects relating to the Crusades, the Normans, and medieval monks. Some the features of the castle that are on view are its dungeon, murder-hole, effigies and oratory. [3] The castle is a National Monument, in state care, number 516. [6]
The castle has all the basic features of a tower house of this period such as machicolation, murder hole, base batter, mural passages, spiral staircase, gun-loops, garderobe and bawn. The first floor had collapsed but has been replaced in recent restoration works by the owners.
The castle was enlarged and renovated several times, with considerable work from 1350. [2] Aside from the original thick stone walls, the building demonstrates some architectural features common to Irish fortifications of the period (including a murder-hole), and some less common features (including a Sheela na gig). [3]
The castle consists of two towers: one, a circular keep, and the other, a square demesne tower located to the east. [7] The keep has a small southerly projection. The north doorway is protected by a machicolation and there is another to the east. A murder-hole guards the double entrance. A mural helical stairway leads to the upper floors. [8]