Pictures Of Motte and Bailey Castles

Motte and Bailey Castles
When the Normans captured an area they built a fort or castle where they would be safe. The first forts were made from wood. They could be built in a few months. They were called motte and bailey forts and they were often built on a river bend or near a large town. They were usually built on high ground where they had a good view of the surrounding countryside. They were located near one another so that the Normans in one fort could send signals to their neighbours nearby.

First a large amount of earth was dug up and raised into a great mound. This mound was called the motte. It had a flat top. A simple wooden house with two or three rooms was built on the flat top. This was called a tower-house or keep. The lord and his family lived here. It was surrounded by a wooden fence.

The bailey was at the base of the motte. It had many buildings. The lord's workers, soldiers and craftspeople lived here. It also contained workshops and stables. The bailey was also surrounded by a strong wooden fence. The motte and bailey was surrounded by a wide ditch full of water. This was called a moat. It had a drawbridge.

The purpose of the Motte and Bailey Castles were as follows:

• To act as a fortified post

• To provide a base where men, provisions and horses could be housed

• To overawe and frighten the indigenous population

• Motte and Bailey Castles provided a base from which the Normans could govern the surrounding district

The History of the majority of famous Motte and Bailey Castles dates back to William the Conqueror and the Normans - but a few were built by Norman friends of Edward the Confessor before the Norman Invasion . It is interesting to note, however, that the actual sites of many of these famous timber Motte and Bailey castles housed fortresses from bygone times:

• Hillforts were built during the Bronze and Iron Age on some of these famous sites

• The Romans built their wooden forts on some of these famous sites

• The Anglo Saxons built fortified townships, called Burhs, on these sites

• Many of the original Motte and Bailey castles were replaced by stone castles

The Motte and Bailey Castles were used as a fortified post for the Calvary to keep order in the surrounding areas. The castles were intended to intimidate the local population - just the appearance of such a structure resulted in capitulation by the local population. Should a castle be attacked the success in defending the Motte and Bailey Castles depended on how well the castle had been built - the height and the building materials. Their weapons - the number of arrows and the number of soldiers as opposed to the attacking force.