Wednesday 22 October 2014

Crenellations of Tantallon

You might have known that crenellation is the uppy downy bits on battlements. You can have a point if you did. To crenallate is to provide a castle or tower with crenellation.

Did you know the uppy downy parts also have proper names? The gaps are crenels or crenelles. The bits between are merlons. Here's a sign to prove I don't just make all this stuff up.




And here's a picture of a castle, showing crenallation, which was taken on our recent trip and is obviously the entire reason for choosing today's word of a week. It's called Tantallon - isn't that a fantastic name for a castle?

We got there early and had the place to ourselves for the first half hour. I really must work it into a story.

16 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Patsy - I never got to Tantallon .. but the word crenellation is a great one isn't it .. and those 'up and down castley' bits ... fun to see ... cheers Hilary

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

Cool. But only one picture of the place today? Ah, man.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Nothing like having a castle all to yourself!

Unknown said...

Make stuff up? Ha!
I didn't know about crenels and merlons and I'm partial to a nice bit of crenellation, so thank you for that.

Frances Garrood said...

Patsy, my brain feels crenellated today. Which I suppose in a way, it is...

Teresa Ashby said...

What a lovely name for a castle. I didn't know that about crenels and merlons :-) x

Patsy said...

It's a really good word, Hilary.

Patsy said...

Sorry, R Mac. I'm concentrating on the words not the pictures here ... but maybe I'll sneak in more pictures later.

Patsy said...

There isn't, Alex. Unless it's having another castle all to yourself. We've been very lucky.

Patsy said...

Yeah, yeah. OK i do make a lot of stuff up, but this time it's all true.

You can trust me - I used to be a tour guide.

Patsy said...

Hopefully ypu have lots of the uppy bits, Frances.

Patsy said...

It is a good name, Teresa. I admit I'd have visited just for that.

Julia Hones said...

That's a good place to write a story.

liz young said...

Getting there early is well worth the effort. Places like that I only want to share with the ghosts.

Patsy said...

It is, Julia.

I'm slightly worried that if I start on castle stories I won't be able to stop.

Patsy said...

They're the best companions in these situations, Lizy. In theory I think it's great that coachloads of kids visit, but I prefer them to do it on a different day to me.