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A portcullis is a grille or gate made of wood, metal or a combination of the two.
Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege. Each portcullis was mounted in vertical grooves in castle walls and could be raised or lowered quickly by means of chains or ropes attached to an internal winch.
The portcullis often appears as a device or emblem in heraldry, such as that employed as the symbol for the Palace of Westminster in London.
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