the.com/postern
the back door that let kings flee and traitors creep, history's secret exit
means A postern is a small, often concealed rear or side entrance to a castle or fortified town, used for quiet comings and goings away from the main gate.
from From Old French 'posterne,' itself from Late Latin 'posterula,' a diminutive of 'posterus' meaning 'coming after, behind' — the same root that gives us 'posterior.' So a postern is, quite literally, the 'little back way,' the modest door tucked behind the grand front gate.
- war trick
- Defenders used it for surprise sallies against besiegers
- hidden by design
- Often disguised in shadow or below ground
- escape route
- Saved trapped nobles when main gates fell
- weak point
- Attackers prized finding one for sneak entry
for instance
tower of london postern — medieval gate used for secret entry to the tower of london, still visible today
warwick castle postern — 13th-century hidden rear gate at warwick castle in england, part of its defensive design