4 ms·

Seems like your map lists pre-historic ring forts, not castles? I'm not sure what the 'official' definition of a castle is, but I personally wouldn't consider

by dbspin 3mo ago

Seems like your map lists pre-historic ring forts, not castles? I'm not sure what the 'official' definition of a castle is, but I personally wouldn't consider a crannóg or something like Dún Aonghasa a castle. Nor would I consider a stand alone tower house a castle, although they might (along with gate lodges and great houses), sometimes be colloquially referred to as castles. Surely a castle is a fortified building, specific to the middle ages. Wikipedia agrees - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle Which would put the number of Anglo-Norman castles in Ireland much lower, probably something around 100.

Bedon292 3mo ago
The map has a category for fortresses too. Which are included in its total count of "castles". So it's seems reasonable to bring them up.
- dbspin 3mo ago
  Fair, I think the map is nonsense, but also the idea of 30K castles in Ireland is clearly untrue.
bluGill 3mo ago
I like the definition where castle is a fortress where a Nobel lives. Fort is where an army lives but no Nobel leader. Palace is where a Nobel lives but it isn't expected to withstand a siege
- RugnirViking 3mo ago
  *Noble. Alfred Nobel invented stable explosives and started a Norwegian prize for achievement in science. Nobles, however, were high ranked members of the feudal hierarchy, often passing their position on to their children.
  - RodGodKiller 3mo ago
    Wasn’t he Swedish?
    - vidarh 3mo ago
      Yes. All the prizes except the peace prize are awarded in Sweden. Norway was in a union with Sweden at the time the prizes were set up, but it's not definitely known why he chose the Norwegian parliament (via the Norwegian Nobel Committee) to aware the peace prize.
xg15 3mo ago
Yeah, in the other direction, I see at least one WWII-era "pillbox" bunker in France (part of the Marginot Line?) listed as "fortress". It's a nice idea, but the range seems extremely broad on the one hand but very incomplete on the other hand.
clickety_clack 3mo ago
In the intro paragraph of the linked Wikipedia page: “Use of the term has varied over time and, sometimes, has also been applied to structures such as hill forts”.

by dbspin 3mo ago

Bedon292 3mo ago

The map has a category for fortresses too. Which are included in its total count of "castles". So it's seems reasonable to bring them up.

dbspin 3mo ago
Fair, I think the map is nonsense, but also the idea of 30K castles in Ireland is clearly untrue.

bluGill 3mo ago

I like the definition where castle is a fortress where a Nobel lives. Fort is where an army lives but no Nobel leader. Palace is where a Nobel lives but it isn't expected to withstand a siege

RugnirViking 3mo ago
*Noble. Alfred Nobel invented stable explosives and started a Norwegian prize for achievement in science. Nobles, however, were high ranked members of the feudal hierarchy, often passing their position on to their children.
- RodGodKiller 3mo ago
  Wasn’t he Swedish?
  - vidarh 3mo ago
    Yes. All the prizes except the peace prize are awarded in Sweden. Norway was in a union with Sweden at the time the prizes were set up, but it's not definitely known why he chose the Norwegian parliament (via the Norwegian Nobel Committee) to aware the peace prize.

xg15 3mo ago

Yeah, in the other direction, I see at least one WWII-era "pillbox" bunker in France (part of the Marginot Line?) listed as "fortress". It's a nice idea, but the range seems extremely broad on the one hand but very incomplete on the other hand.

clickety_clack 3mo ago

In the intro paragraph of the linked Wikipedia page: “Use of the term has varied over time and, sometimes, has also been applied to structures such as hill forts”.