Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

en feston

English translation:

scalloped/(semi-circular projections/protrusions)

Added to glossary by Rimas Balsys
Jun 16, 2018 23:13
5 yrs ago
3 viewers *
French term

en feston

French to English Tech/Engineering Architecture medieval castles
This is a history of Chateau Gaillard in Normandy built by Richard the Lionheart in 1197-1199 and captured by Philip II of France after a 7-month siege. This section describes how it was designed and built. "Au pied de la chemise – le mur fortifié – on creuse des celliers dans la roche du fossé afin d’assurer le ravitaillement de l’enceinte. Côté plateau, la chemise présente un flanquement **en feston** pour mieux résister aux gros projectiles".
I imagine it refers to a "scalloped" wall design (with protruding sections for strength), but am flummoxed as whenever I search the web for architectural "scallop" all I get is wallpaper designs :-)
I'm just wondering if there's a neat architectural term for this type of construction.
Many thanks as always.
Proposed translations (English)
2 +4 semi-circular projections/protrusions
4 -2 concentric fortification

Proposed translations

+4
2 hrs
Selected

semi-circular projections/protrusions



https://books.google.ca/books?id=BDU20zPJrUAC&pg=PA142&lpg=P...

The inner circle of walls was built in a distinctive scallop-shell form with nineteen semi-circular protrusions to deflect bombardment...


Loc. En festons. Suivant une ligne formée d'arcs accolés.

http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/feston

The design of the inner bailey, with its wall studded with semi-circular projections

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_Gaillard


Picture here with the legend "Le réduit présente une originale enceinte festonnée"

http://www.histoire-normandie.fr/la-chute-de-chateau-gaillar...
Peer comment(s):

agree philgoddard : Scalloped would be fine as well.
43 mins
Okay. Thanks.
agree Daryo
3 hrs
agree erwan-l : I agree with Phil: "Scalloped" is fine/sufficient by itself (see my reference comments).
4 hrs
Thanks. Yes, my first reference mentions a "scallop-shell form".
agree Nikki Scott-Despaigne : Just like a festoon, where between two fixed points, fabric will drape.
2 days 18 hrs
Thanks
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-2
1 hr

concentric fortification

You might want to read the Wikipedia description which is in English and in French.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château-Gaillard_(Les_Andelys)...
Peer comment(s):

disagree erwan-l : Désolé, mais le feston caractérisant côté plateau la chemise / l’enceinte entourant la haute-cour du Château-Gaillard n’a rien à voir avec... l’architecture *générale* concentrique / à enceintes multiples - « successives » dudit château :) !
3 hrs
disagree Daryo : can't be - "en feston" is part of the description of the surface of a wall, not of the whole fortress.
6 hrs
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Reference comments

7 hrs
Reference:

Architecture / medieval castles: “Scalloped” standing for « festonné - en festons »

Château-Gaillard:

- https://archaeology-travel.com/france/chateau-gaillard/ - “[...] One of the most striking features of the castle, and one that is noticeable from afar, is the scalloped outer-wall of the inner bailey. This feature had two defensive functions. The arrowslits in the wall allowed arrows to be shot in many more directions with greater ease. Further, the curved wall provided a better surface than a flat surface to withstand shock and damage from missiles fired from seige engines.”

- http://johnsmilitaryhistory.com/Gaillard.html “[...] The castle featured a concentric defense. Built with steep ground on three sides, an attacker would have to capture first the outer bailey, then the middle and inner baileys before facing the strongest part of the castle, the keep. The inner bailey used a scalloped wall design, theoretically stronger but not as useful in reality as expected. [...]”

- http://www.detoursenfrance.fr/patrimoine/chateaux-et-monumen... - « [...] Le donjon circulaire a encore fère allure et le rempart, ou chemise, qui le protège est surprenant avec ses murs festonnés : dix-neuf pans de mur arrondis qui se succèdent et donnaient moins de prise aux projectiles. [...] »

- http://www.histoire-normandie.fr/la-chute-de-chateau-gaillar... - « [...] Château-Gaillard présente des formes inédites ou presque (par exemple une courtine festonnée, la tour-maîtresse en amande). Il intègre aussi des évolutions récentes (le plan ramassé, les tours circulaires de flanquement, la fragmentation de la défense en plusieurs volumes) ou reprend des dispositions anciennes (l’implantation sur un site d’éperon). [...] »
Peer comments on this reference comment:

agree Daryo
28 mins
Thank you Sir ;-)
agree Claire Nolan
4 hrs
Thanks!
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