Date formed: 1474 A.D., Donegal Castle Keep Stairs
Feet trod: Countless
Battles Waged: Unknown
Imaginations Kindled: As many as are willing
Dream a little today; it always makes my day better. 🙂 Slainte, Lisa
*For those interested in more history of the Donegal Castle, check this out:
540 Year Old Trip Stairs
The Trip Stairs
This amazing spiral stairway, built of stone, was designed to give the O’Donnell Chieftain a few strategic advantages during combat . . .
- The steps are uneven and vary in height, to trip the unsuspecting assailant – hence their name!
- The steps are narrow, so potential invaders would have to ascend in single file, making it easier to overpower them.
- The stairway turns clockwise going up. That gave the right-handedO’Donnells more leeway while sword-fighting defensively downwards. It also forced any potential invader to either sword-fight with his left hand, or awkwardly maneuver his sword around the stairwell’s solid central axis.
Found on http://www.ourdonegal.com/donegal-castle.html
A common feature in many medieval Castles and Towers. I guess there were not too many left handers back in those times 🙂
That reminds me of the sword fight from Princess Bride on the cliffs. (fighting left handed when they were right handed) 🙂 Have a great day today, Ed.
Thanks Lisa, you too 🙂