Construction didn’t require any special materials, and the work could usually be carried out by unskilled men. This meant that a motte-and-bailey castle could be built relatively quickly using local manpower and earth and timber alone as building materials.
How could a motte-and-bailey castle be improved?
When was stone used to build castles? During the 12th century many castles were improved and strengthened by using stone as the ain building material. The wooden defences of motte and bailey castles were replaced by walls and towers of stone.
How long would it take to build a motte and bailey castle?
The motte and bailey castle at Dover took just eight days to build – according to William of Poitiers who was William’s chaplain.
What are the disadvantages of a motte and bailey castle?
At a glance: disadvantages of Motte and Bailey castles
- Timber burns easily -and attackers quickly learned that firing flaming arrows could defeat the castle.
- Timber rots, to0 – castles quickly ran into disrepair, and often became abandoned by their owners.
- Mottes often had a broad base.
Which is the oldest castle in the UK?
Built in 1067 by Robert of Mortain, the Berkhamsted Castle is the oldest castle in England. In 1216, the castle was captured by Louis VIII and was owned by several members of the royal family in following years.
What was inside the Bailey?
Inside the bailey, lived the followers of the Lord who ran the castle. There were many buildings inside the bailey including stables, storehouses, bakeries, kitchens, houses, and quarters for soldiers. A strong wooden fence (palisade) surrounded the buildings. The bailey was surrounded by a ditch, called a fosse.
What does Motte and Bailey mean in English?
: a medieval Norman castle consisting of two connecting ditched stockaded mounds with the higher mound surmounted by the keep and the lower one containing barracks and other buildings.
What is the purpose of a Motte and Bailey castle?
Motte and bailey castles were a form of castle structure that enabled the new Norman conquerors of England and Wales to secure areas of land quickly and cheaply. The Normans needed a castle design they could erect quickly to subdue the vanquished Britons.
What does Motte and Bailey castle look like?
The castles consisted of a wooden wall, perhaps built on an earth bank, encircling an open space or courtyard (bailey) and a natural or artificial hill (motte) which had a wooden tower built in the centre of its flattened top, sometimes surrounded by its own wooden palisade.
What are 5 features of Norman castles?
- Key Features. Windows. …
- Doors. Castle doors had to be reinforced to withstand attack. …
- Towers. Crenellated towers are a distinguishing feature of Norman castles. …
- Timber. The first of England’s Norman castles were built from wood.
What are the bad things about Motte and Bailey castles?
For example it was made out of wood, which meant that it could be easily burnt down. Another thing is that wood also easily rots. This would mean that the castle could only be used for a short amount of time as they were not durable.
What are the disadvantages of stone keep castles?
Although they seemed impenetrable at first, attackers quickly realized the weaknesses of many stone keep castles.
- They were expensive to build and to maintain and so only the wealthiest lords could afford to build very secure stone castles.
- Stone castles were built on a square or rectangular plan.
How big was a Motte and Bailey castle?
Some were also built over older artificial structures, such as Bronze Age barrows. The size of mottes varied considerably, with these mounds being 3 metres to 30 metres in height (10 feet to 100 feet), and from 30 to 90 metres (100 to 300 ft) in diameter.
Is a bailey part of a castle?
A bailey is simply an enclosed space within the walls of a castle. The original castles built by the Normans were ‘motte and bailey’ castles. The motte was a hill, sometimes man-made, on which a wooden tower was built. The space around it was the bailey, which was enclosed by a wooden palisade.
What is the biggest castle in England?
Described as the ‘Key to England’ throughout history due to its function as a defen ce point off the Southern coast, Dover Castle is considered one of the most famous British castles, and the largest in England.
What is the purpose of bailey?
A bailey or ward in a fortification is a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a motte-and-bailey.
What is the oldest thing in England?
The Ashbrittle Yew, which is thought to be anywhere between 3,500 and 4,000 years old, may by dying after locals near its home at the Church of St John the Baptist, in Ashbrittle, Somerset, said that it may be suffering from an unspecified arboreal infection.
Are castles still built today?
Castles are a staple of world history, particularly European history, as several of them still stand today. … All of these castles have received extensive repair work throughout the centuries and most of them are open to the public today as tourist attractions.
Why did we stop building castles?
Why did they stop building castles? Castles were great defences against the enemy. However, when gunpowder was invented the castles stopped being an effective form of defence. … The medieval castle with its high vertical walls was no longer the invincible fortification it had been.
What are the disadvantages of a concentric castle?
At a glance: the disadvantages of concentric castles
- They were phenomenally expensive to build – this can’t be overstated!
- They took significant time to build – they needed years, rather than just weeks for basic motte-and-bailey castle.
What did a concentric castle look like?
Concentric castles resemble one castle nested inside the other, thus creating an inner and outer ward. They are typically built without a central free-standing keep. Where the castle includes a particularly strong tower (donjon), such as at Krak or Margat, it projects from the inner enceinte.