In medievalcastles, thechemise (French: "shirt") was typically a low wall encircling thekeep, protecting the base of the tower. Alternative terms, more commonly used in English, aremantlet wall orapron wall.[1]
In some cases, the keep could be entered only from the chemise (i.e. at the first floor level). Numerous examples exist of highly varied form, including the heavily fortified chemise ofChâteau de Vincennes, or the more modest example atProvins, both inFrance. Some chemises are suggested to have been developed from earliermotte and bailey defences, though they may not usually be referred to as chemise.
In laterfortification, a chemise is a wall lined with abastion, or any other bulwark of earth, for greater support and strength.
The German Wikipedia entry "Mantelmauer" links to this entry. This is not accurate, since the German "Mantelmauer" was renowned for being particularly high rather than the English / French "chemise" which is described here as a "low wall". An example is Alzenau Castle in Germany, where the "Mantelmauer" is 14 metres (approx. 46 feet) high.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Chemise".Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.
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