Ranged Weapons and Projectiles
One of the smaller sections in the Dean Castle's collection of
arms and armour is its ranged weapons and projectiles. This is
likely because Lord Howard de Walden was a Medievalist fascinated
with the chivalric traditions associated with knighthood. Swords
and blades play a large part in chivalry, as swords were an
indispensible part of a gentleman's wardrobe from during the
Medieval era, going into the Early Modern period. Nevertheless, in
chivalric tradition, the skills of the knight were carried over to
the practice of the hunt, which became an important aspect of
courtly life. The crossbows and stonebows in the Dean Castle
collections were used in this fashion; rather than on the field of
battle, these weapons were used for sport to hunt small
animals.
