CASTLES

Question 1

HOW DID NORMANS CHANGE CASTLES

Answer 1

• very few castles built prior to 1066 and the only comparable things were burghs (fortified towns)
• first castles built by normans were wooden motte and Bailey castles
• first Norman castle was Pevensey castle, built when William when he landed at pevensey in September 1066
• between 1066 and 1086 the normans built 500 motte and Bailey castles
• by 1070 wood had been replaced by stone
• by 1086 48 large castles and many other small ones

Question 2

PARTS OF A CASTLE

Answer 2

motte- large mound of earth, 5-7m high, fire proof
keep- wooden tower, provided a look out point and an elevated attack position for archers
Bailey- enclosed below motte, were the stables and barracks were for the garrison of soldiers
palisade- fence made of wood

Question 3

PURPOSE OF CASTLES

Answer 3

• act as the centre of administration for the area
• to protect Norman settlers
• to intimidate local areas and show power
• control the area

Question 4

WHY DID NORMANS BUILD CASTLES

Answer 4

strategic- housed soldiers who could put down rebellions, built at sites of importance to protect normans
symbolic- permanent reminder to English, dominated the landscape, normans often destroyed AS housing to make way for castles- show normans authority

Question 5

WHERE WERE CASTLES BUILT

Answer 5

• areas of strategic importance0 many built along marshlands to protect normans from rebellions
• on high ground- to see attackers coming
• near existing towns
• near water supply and natural resources - to have easy access to them
• near natural defences- eg a bend in a river could be used as a moat

Question 6

PEVENSEYS LOCATION

Answer 6

• built on south coats- typical as many were built on coast to protect from potential invasion and also the sea acted as a moat
• near a town- typical as many were built near towns for natural resources

Question 7

WHY PEVENSEY WAS A GOOD LOCATION FOR WILLIAM

Answer 7

• provided a safe route in months after battle of Hastings increase a retreat was needed
• the castle meant it could be used as a base for other invasions
• offered a natural labour facing the normandy coast ad control of it ensured lines of communication with normandy

Question 8

PURPOSE OF CASTLES- DEFEND

Answer 8

• Romans built 9 forts along south and east coat to defend from pirates
• when William landed he built a temp wooden fort and raid the roman tower to act as an observation point
• replaced wooden cakes with stone ones to protect leaders
• built castles in north to defend against Scottish raiders and rebellious locals

Question 9

PURPOSE OF CASTLES- PREVENT ATTACKS

Answer 9

• when he landed he built s temp wooden fort and raised the tower
• replaced wooden ones with stone
• built castles in areas he thought would be a problem (marshland)
• Norman castles dominated the landscape and made it harder for resistance and rebellion to gain momentum

Question 10

PURPOSE OF CASTLES- GOVERN

Answer 10

• castles protected garrisons
• had important economic and legal functions- most served as administrative centres store rooms and prisons
• built castles in troubled areas to control them
• dominated towns

Question 11

CHANGES WILLIAM MADE TO PEVENSEY

Answer 11

• built a temp wooden fort to shelter troops
• cut ditch across peninsula to isolate ruins from mainland
• repaired roman walls
• raised tower in NW of inner Bailey for observation point

Question 12

WHAT AS USED CASTLES FOR

Answer 12

• built burghs as