Why were Motte and Bailey Castles Important 1066

Why were Motte and Bailey Castles Important? 1066– 1500 This icon indicates the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable. For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation. 1 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

Learning objectives This presentation covers: 1. What a motte and bailey castle is. 2. Why they were built. 3. What they looked like. 4. What their advantages and disadvantages were. 2 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

The motte and bailey castle The Normans built the first proper castles in England. They needed bases from which to control the countryside, and strongholds to protect them from Saxon attack. The castles had to be built in a hurry, so they were originally built of timber on an earth mound (a motte). The bailey was the living area for the soldiers. Remember, William’s troops were an invading force and not exactly secure in all parts of the country. 3 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

Why castles? When William invaded England he quickly set about building castles. The reason was simple – he knew he had nowhere near enough men to run England. So William built castles at important places – hills, rivers, towns – so that if the English tried to control the country they’d be forced to attack a castle – a bad move! Especially as the English did not have many castles before the Normans came along! 4 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

Early castles Motte – defensive mound of earth Moat – this made it harder to reach the walls 5 of 12 Keep – the safest place in the castle Bridge – from the motte to the bailey Drawbridge – to the entrance to the bailey Palisade – these were made of wood and formed a fence Bailey – large walled area where the soldiers and animals lived © Boardworks Ltd 2004

Keep Motte Bridge Drawbridge Moat Palisade Bailey The surrounding area would be cleared of any cover. This area would be called the killing ground. It was unlikely that a motte and bailey would be built near a forest – why do you think this is? 6 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

How much do you remember? Which do you think are the weakest parts of the castle? Why? 7 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

Why the motte and bailey? So why did William build motte and bailey castles? To answer this question you have to think about William’s problems – get inside his mind to understand what he needed. A stone castle may be better for his soldiers but will it take time to build? What is better, a wooden castle that is quick to build, or a stone castle that will take years? What would you do in William’s position? 8 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

Advantages of the motte and bailey castle 1. The castles were quick to build. A motte and bailey castle could be up in a few weeks! This was a huge difference compared to the years it would take to build a stone castle. 2. They protected the soldiers that William used to control the country and were easy to defend. Small numbers of Norman soldiers could hold off rebellions or attacks by being in a castle. 10 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004

Disadvantages of the motte and bailey castle 1. The biggest weakness was the material they were made of – wood. Like the story of the Three Little Pigs, wooden buildings can be burnt down by fire. They can also be affected by rot. 2. Because the castles were not built to last, they were only a temporary solution. 11 of 12 © Boardworks Ltd 2004