murder hole meaning: definition, quotations

murder hole

nounalso spelled Murder Hole, murder-hole

Historical A slit or hole above the entrance to a fortification, thought to provide access for defenders to kill invaders.

The ground floor entrance, a gothic doorway, is in the east wall and gives access to a small vestibule with a murder hole. The stairs on the left leads up to a short landing, over which is a second smaller murder hole.1997, John Kirwan, Kilkenny: studies in honour of Margaret M. Phelan, page 41:
While tradition and speculation has it that murder holes were commonly used to throw stones and other heavy missiles onto the heads of unsuspecting besiegers, they quite likely originated as devices that allowed defenders to quench the flames of an enemy's fire burning the timber defenses situated within the passage.2006, Lise Hull, Britain's Medieval Castles, →ISBN, page 58:

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She said the nearest she could recall was when one of King Stephen's sentries got drunk on shipwreck brandy and fell through the murder hole, breaking his leg.2013, Michelle Cooper, A Brief History of Montmaray, →ISBN, page 23:

Historical, Rare A chamber above the entrance to a fortification where defenders hide and shoot at invaders trapped in the entryway below.

On the first floor, over the gate passage and tower rooms, was a massive hall, well-appointed despite its having to accommodate the inner portcullis and murder hole, the slots for which may still be seen in the floor.1992, Sian E. Rees, A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales: Dyfed, →ISBN, page 160:
Within it a passage with what is described by Westropp as a 'murder hole' on the roof just inside the doorway. This 'murder hole' extends the width of the passage and is covered over by well fitting stone slabs.1998, The parish of Kilkeedy: a local history, →ISBN, page 75:

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The archers on the ramparts, naturally, saw them plain, as did the towermaster in the 'murder hole' above the gate.2006, Michael Flynn, Eifelheim, →ISBN, page 268:

noun

Alternative Alternative form of murder hole.

Immediately inside the doorway is a small lobby which is defended by a cross loop which would have been manned from inside the main chamber and defended by a murder-hole over.1999, David Sweetman, Medieval Castles of Ireland, page 148:
The murder-hole above the outer end of the passage survives, but only the descending grooves mark the position of the outer portcullis within it, beneath the recess to receive it in the outer E. wall2000, Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales, An inventory of the ancient monuments in Glamorgan:

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This corridor is entered from the Castle by a tunnel cut through the rampart, its exit through the wall being guarded by a murder-hole above, and made more secure by a double right-angle bend and a narrow doorway.2002, David Freke, E. P. Allison, Excavations on St. Patrick's Isle, Peel, Isle of Man, 1982-88, →ISBN, page 11:
Marcus caught up another large rock, but before hurling it he paused, squinting eagerly down his murder-hole.2006, Jonathan Stroud, The Last Siege, →ISBN, page 230:

A deep pit used for drowning malefactors as a punishment.

The pits were of the kind which have become known as murder-holes, for the reason already explained that they were used by the barons, who had power of pit and gallows, to punish malefactors summarily.1877, Charles Gibbon, In Love and War: A Romance - Volume 1, page 294:
Some of the murder-holes or pits, are said to be eighty feet deep, from which human bones have been brought forth, and their origin has been referred to the feudal grants, which were conferred on so many barons, of having and using " pit and gallows."1884, Alexander W. M. Clark Kennedy, Robert the Bruce: A Poem, Historical and Romantic, page 222:

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Drowning is a very old mode of punishment in Scotland; and in Galloway there were pits of great depth appropriated to that punishment, still called murder-holes, out of which human bones have occasionally been taken in great quantities.2012, Sir Walter Scott, The Border Antiquities of England and Scotland, →ISBN:

noun

A waterhole or pit in a bog where the bodies of murder victims were thrown.

The Murder Hole is the thing for me—that tells no tales—a single scuffle—a single plunge—and the fellow is dead and buried to your hand in a moment.1989, Islay Murray Donaldson, The Life and Work of Samuel Rutherford Crockett, page 122:
The name appears to refer to, and in fact to be an alternative one for, the Murder Hole of Carrick (q.vj which lies 200 or 300 yards west of the croft biggin.1947, John Kevan McDowall, Carrick Gallovidian:

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The Murder Hole was supposedly near the property Moira and Paul rented, but they hardly knew a soul who had seen it, except for one: the old man who patched their roof.2003, Cathryn Hankla, The Land Between, page 1:
The other brother replied, 'The Murder Hole for me. It makes for a cleaner job — you just slit their throats and drop them in. It's all by in a flash.'2009, Dane Love, Legendary Ayrshire: custom, folklore, tradition, page 208:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — authors: page histories for murder hole, murder-hole and Murder Hole.