castles

• | reasons for building castles

  • key for william establishing control over england
  • 500 castles built during his reign
  • common in normandy but unknown in england
  • one of the firsts things william did was to build a castle!
• | key features of castles

  • palisade: strong fence deep in the ground; strong quick to build
• | key features of castles

  • keep: tower which provided a lookout point & elevated attack position for archers to defend area
• | key features of castles

  • access to keep was by steep STAIRS
• | key features of castles

  • gatehouse: access into the castle was controlled & a drawbridge to defend from attack
• | key features of castles

  • ditch: surrounded motte & bailey; filled with water to protect palisade
• | key features of castles

  • motte: large mound of earth 5-7 metres high_ fireproof _ quick to build with enough peasant labour
• | why were castles important?

  • built in strategic locations near hills or rivers
• | why were castles important?

  • used as a base by the lord; could take refuge their and launch a counter attack
• | why were castles important?

  • dominate territory; castles often built in towns as a way to stop unrest in an area
• | why were castles important?

  • symbol of Norman power: everyone in the area would see the castle towering over them & would constantly be reminded of who rules them
• | castles vs burhs

  • burhs were public, castles were private; built for the lord & his garrison (troops who defended castle)
• | castles vs burhs

  • burhs were big whilst castles were small & easy to defend
• | castles vs burhs

  • burhs were hard to get into but easy to set fire
  • castles were were protected by earth & not easy to set on fire due to the motte raised
  • can be protected from fire with wet animal skin
• | castles vs burhs

  • burhs designed to protect anglo saxons
  • castles controlled them
  • in rebellious areas, they were built 32km apart so troops could quickly deal with unrest
• • thousands of homes were demolished to make room for castles
  • Local people made to build castle
• garrison

  troops who defended the castle
• In unruly areas, what interval were castles built at?

  32km intervals
• how many castles were built during William’s reign

  500
• How high were mottes

  5-7 metres
• How could castles be prevented from being lit by fire

  Wet animal skin
• how would you access a keep

  Steep stairs
• What did a gatehouse do?

  controlled what came in and out
• What defended a gatehouse

  Drawbridge
• what did castles symbolise

  Norman power
• What surrounded a motte & Bailey

  Ditch
• whaT did castles dominate

  Territory! as a form of settling unrest