Wales is home to around 300 motte and bailey castles, which were constructed primarily during the Norman invasion in the late 11th and early 12th centuries. These fortifications were built as a means to establish control over the Welsh territories and often served as the foundation for later stone castles. The motte and bailey design, featuring a raised earthwork mound and an enclosed courtyard, was particularly effective for military purposes during that era.
26,000 because they were very easy to bilt
17
The first Motte and Bailey Castle was built at Mont Glonme on the River Loire in France in 990 - so the Normans were used to using the castle to dominate their tenants under the feudal system. The Normans also brought feudalism to England. Prior to the Norman invasion in 1066 led by William the Conqueror there were hardly any castles in England and the ones that did exist were built by Norman lords who were friends of King Edward the Confessor.
Motte and bailey castles were built on the highest ground in the area which meant they could see many miles away to see if anyone was coming to attack When the normans started building stone castles (called keeps) they built the wall up to 2-5 meters thick.
Motte and bailey castles were first built in 1066 after William took the throne. He built them all over England to try and reduce the amount of rebellions that were taking place. All these castles were scaring people into doing what the King said. If they didn't then they would get killed by the many soldiers.
There is very little evidence of motte and bailey castles primarily due to their construction materials and the passage of time. Many of these structures were built using wood and earth, which are less durable and have eroded or decayed over the centuries. Additionally, many motte and bailey sites have been repurposed or built over, making archaeological investigation challenging. Consequently, the surviving remnants are often minimal, leading to a limited understanding of their original design and function.
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle. It was made of wood and many were built in Britain and France in the 11th and 12th centuries. Each took 7 to 14 days to build. There were very few Celtic/pre-norman motte and bailey castles. The Normans brought motte and bailey castles in packages like make your own furniture. The main weakness of the motte and bailey castle was that they were usually wooden and therefore burned easily.Parts of the motte and bailey castleKeep- The safest and highest part of the castle. The last line of defence. Motte- usually buily by the local English people. About 15 meters high. There could be more than one.Wodden Bridge- this led from the bailey to the starts climbing the motte.Bailey- A large yard with storeroom, kitchens, stables and guardrooms. There could be more than one.Palisade- the wooden fence surrounding the bailey.Gateway & Drawbridge- the entrance to the bailey, guarded by the baron's soldiers.Ditch- when filled with water it was know as a moat.
Motte and bailey castles are made out of wood which produces many advantages including: * They are reasonably strong * They are able to be built within a few weeks * They have a moat which makes invading the castle alot harder * There is a big hill that the motte is built on so the archers in the motte can shoot them with arrows whilst the attackers are scrambling up the hill * They are cheap There are also many more advantages.
From the 11th century to the 12th century
2.5 million roughly
Stone or square keep castles were first built in Medieval England by William the Conqueror. Stone keep castles were the natural extension of motte and bailey castles. Motte and bailey castles were only temporary features (though many mottes exist to the day) while stone keep castles were built to last
Motte and Bailey castles were built by King William I (William the Conqueror) after the Battle of Hastings to try and stop the rebellions and keep all his people under control in England, Wales and Ireland. He chose Motte and Bailey castles because they were made out of wood. This made them cheap and light so they were easy to build. It was a hard job to keep his people under control as he'd just killed their previous King who they all loved. However, strategically placing these Castles proved well over time as the rebellions eventually became fewer then stopped. Some of these Motte and Bailey castles were later replaced by Stone Keep castles (Stone castles) because they were stronger, didn't burn and didn't rot within a few years but will last on for centuries to come. The Motte and Bailey castles that didn't get improved to a Stone Keep Castle would have just been left to rot. No Motte and Bailey castles still exist today but many Stone Keep castles do. Motte and Bailey castles weren't just built in England however, they actually developed the basic idea of Motte and Bailey Castles in Rhineland Germany. They were only first built in Northwest France by the Normans (Northwest France would have been called Normandy in those days). because they were easy and cheap to build. List and description of key terms- -Keep A wooden castle atop the Motte -Motte The mound of earth the Keep was on -Bailey Where the animals were kept -Ditch A round circle dug around the castle to make reaching the castle harder -Drawbridge This was like a large door, and it was used to keep out enemies. -Palisade The wooden fence surrounding the Motte and Bailey Advantages and disadvantages- Advantages- -The drawbridge could be closed or burnt for additional protection -They were made of wood that couldn't rot -They were easy to build -They were cheap -They were built in roughly a week -They were good to show strength and control Disadvantages- -They were made out of wood that could burn easily, so they could be defeated by fire-arrows - The palisade could be defeated by the Battering Ram I hope this helped.