Arrow slits are narrow vertical and horizontal slits in castle walls or turrets just wide enough for archers to see their enemies and shoot their arrows at them. They were often in the shape of crosses. This served two purposes. It allowed left and right movement and line of site in addition to up and down movement for the archer and it was a symbol of the Christian Faith. The slits were built in such a manner that from the inside there was plenty of room for the archer to move around. From the outside, all that was visible to the enemy was the narrow slits. These were very difficult for attackers to shoot into and kill the archers inside the castle. These slits were placed at regular intervals in turrets and castle walls and gatehouses so that all areas of the castle could be defended. Attackers of the castle would face a gauntlet of arrows when moving up to the castle walls.
Later, after gunpoweder was invented, arrow slits were used by hand cannoneers and gunners. The invention of the gun also changed the slits to gun ports which were smaller, as a gunner or hand cannoneer did not need as much space to aim and shoot their weapon as did archers. Slits came in many designs and sizes. Each castle might have its own design for arrow slits, if but to be different from adjacent lords and their castles.
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