Two popular weapons used by those attacking castles were huge catapults called trebuchets (which could be fired from a safe distance) and battering rams (which had to be battered right up against the castle gates).

Moats were very useful for castle defenders because, with the drawbridge up, no battering rams could reach the gates.

Siege Towers were enormous wooden towers on wheels which could be pulled right up to the castle walls. They were filled with enemy soldiers who could then clamber over the battlements into the castle... while the defenders stopped them if they could.