Burg Schildberg: A High Medieval Spur Castle in Germany
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 3
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page8 sections
History
Burg Schildberg, also known as Schildburg, is a High Medieval hilltop spur castle near Lügde in Germany. A spur castle was a fortified site built on a projecting ridge, using the natural slope for defence. The castle’s origins are dated to the eleventh or twelfth century, while archaeological evidence places its occupation broadly between the mid-eleventh and mid-thirteenth centuries.
The castle’s half-timbered buildings were destroyed by fire at an undetermined date. Half-timbered construction used a structural timber framework filled with materials such as clay, brick, or plaster. Extensive parts of the site were later removed through stone quarrying. Archaeological investigations by the Lippisches Landesmuseum in 2017 examined the surviving evidence on the Schildberg. The remaining archaeological features are protected as an archaeological monument.
Remains
The castle occupied a projecting spur approximately 250 to 255 metres above sea level. Its inner bailey, the main enclosed area of the castle, covered about 0.15 hectares. A surrounding ditch, together with the slope of the spur, formed the principal defensive boundary. Surviving features include sections of the ditch profile and small parts of the inner bailey, while quarrying has removed much of the former castle area.
Defences and access
Inner bailey and ditch
The ditch around the inner bailey was approximately 4 to 6 metres deep and 6 to 10 metres wide. Its surviving profile provides physical evidence of the scale of the castle’s defensive works and of the way the enclosed area was separated from the surrounding ground.
Gatehouse approach
Access probably crossed a wooden bridge before reaching a gatehouse. A rampart positioned in front of the gatehouse added another protective obstacle to the approach. These features formed the entrance arrangement for the fortified spur.
Buildings and archaeological finds
Half-timbered buildings
The castle buildings were made of timber-framed construction. Excavation of a cellar uncovered parts of the burned wooden framework, together with several sherds from cooking vessels. The remains connect the fire that destroyed the buildings with material evidence from domestic activity within the castle.
Lime kiln and pottery
A lime kiln was found within the castle area. Such an installation heated limestone to produce quicklime, a material used in mortar and other construction processes. Pottery sherds from the kiln area date to the tenth century, providing evidence of activity at the site earlier than the broad medieval dating assigned to the castle itself.
Nearby sites
