Drawbar (defense)

{{Short description|A medieval security device}}A drawbar is a defensive implement used to secure a door or gate in a medieval or Early Modern building such as a castle,{{cite web |title=An Illustrated Glossary of Castle Architecture |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1233/an-illustrated-glossary-of-castle-architecture/ |website=World History Encyclopedia |access-date=15 July 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Castle Learning Center Glossary|url=http://www.castles-of-britain.com/glossary.htm|access-date=2021-07-15|website=www.castles-of-britain.com}} but also churches and townhouses.

When drawn across the full length of the door, it prevents the door or gate from being opened. To open the door or gate, the drawbar is pushed into a drawbar slot in the wall. These drawbar slots often survive in ruins and preserved buildings from that time.{{Cite journal|last1=Breen|first1=Martin|last2=Cróinín|first2=Ristéard Ua|date=2020|title=Securing Against the Unfaithful Steward|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26915539|journal=Archaeology Ireland|volume=34|issue=1|pages=30–33|jstor=26915539 |issn=0790-892X}}{{Cite web|last=The Heritage Unit of Cork County Council|date=2017|title=Heritage Castles of County Cork|url=https://www.corkcoco.ie/sites/default/files/2018-11/CCC%20Castles%20low%20res.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=15 July 2021|website=Cork County Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524154453/https://www.corkcoco.ie/sites/default/files/2018-11/CCC%20Castles%20low%20res.pdf |archive-date=2019-05-24 }}{{Cite journal|last=Berryman|first=Duncan|date=2011|title=The defensibility of Irish Tower Houses|url=https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/the-defensibility-of-irish-tower-houses|journal=The Castle Studies Group Journal|language=English|volume=24|pages=260–68|issn=2044-4605}}

The use of gunpowder and the possibility to blow up the door rendered them obsolete.