Staircases Were Not All Clockwise

One of the "facts" about medieval castles that you'll read a lot is that the stairway spiraled up in a clockwise direction. According to legend, a clockwise staircase made it simpler for right-handed archers and defenders to beat off assaults and draw and fire arrows from the windows.

When stated in that way, it makes sense and seems like a clever design element, but the issue is the sheer number of castles that were constructed with counterclockwise staircases. The White Tower in the Tower of London was constructed in 1070, and it has staircases that go in both directions. There are numerous of instances of staircases that go up and down that were constructed between the years of 1000 and 1500.

There is no evidence to support the idea that the staircase's design was a military feature. Theoretically, it makes sense looking back, but this has never been proven to be the cause. Also, the abundance of counterclockwise staircases raises the possibility that this was purely an aesthetic decision.