Ian McMillan: First cup of tea: the day’s portcullis is raised.

 Portcullis

Portcullis at Desmond Castle, Adare, County Limerick, Ireland

The inner portcullis of the Torre dell'Elefante in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

A portcullis (from Old French porte coleice 'sliding gate')^[1] is a heavy, vertically closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood and/or metal, which slides down grooves inset within each jamb of the gateway.

Usage

Double portcullis gates at Petersberg Citadel, Erfurt

Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, securely closing off the castle during time of attack or siege. Every portcullis was mounted in vertical grooves in the walls of the castle and could be raised or lowered quickly by means of chains or ropes attached to an internal winch. Portcullises had an advantage over standard gates in that they could be closed immediately at a time of crisis by a single guard.