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en feston

English translation: scalloped/(semi-circular projections/protrusions)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:en feston
English translation:scalloped/(semi-circular projections/protrusions)
Entered by: Rimas Balsys

23:13 Jun 16, 2018
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Architecture / medieval castles
French term or phrase: en feston
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.
Rimas Balsys
Local time: 19:34
semi-circular projections/protrusions
Explanation:


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...
Selected response from:

Claire Nolan
Local time: 22:34
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +4semi-circular projections/protrusions
Claire Nolan
4 -2concentric fortification
Odette Grille (X)
Summary of reference entries provided
Architecture / medieval castles: “Scalloped” standing for « festonné - en festons »
erwan-l

  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
concentric fortification


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

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


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_Gaillard
Odette Grille (X)
Canada
Local time: 22:34
Native speaker of: French

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +4
semi-circular projections/protrusions


Explanation:


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...


Claire Nolan
Local time: 22:34
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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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Reference comments


7 hrs peer agreement (net): +2
Reference: Architecture / medieval castles: “Scalloped” standing for « festonné - en festons »

Reference information:
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). [...] »

erwan-l
France
Native speaker of: French

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Daryo
28 mins
  -> Thank you Sir ;-)
agree  Claire Nolan
4 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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