Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Motte & Bailey Castles (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
How did Castles Impact England? - Summary
Castles became a crucial part of how William established his control of England. There was an enormous impact of Norman castle-building on eleventh-century England. The process involved the destruction of multiple houses. Castles were normally built in areas of unrest against the Normans. By destroying houses, the Normans only increased Anglo-Saxon resistance to the Norman Conquest.
The lord employed local peasants to build the castle. With enough peasants, constructing a motte and bailey castle took four to nine months. This could bring valuable income to peasants. However, the process also divided Anglo-Saxon communities. Many people looked down on those who complied with Norman officials.
Castles dominated England after 1066. The castles became a symbol of William's military occupation of the country.
Why did William Build Castles?
William encouraged castle building because:
William needed to assert his authority in England
Castles were important defensive structures. In borderlands, castles were necessary
Castles were important for local government
Castles housed traders, law officials and sheriffs
Castles were a symbol of power over the Anglo-Saxons
Normandy had many castles
Castles were uncommon in Anglo-Saxon England
Anglo-Saxons relied on burhs, which were very different to castles
During William's reign, the Normans built roughly 500 castles
Features of a Motte & Bailey Castle
Why were motte & bailey castles so difficult to attack?
Feature | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
Palisade | A strong fence around the castle made of wood | Normans could construct the palisade quickly Sometimes, Normans double-fenced the palisade with earth to make the palisade stronger | An enemy could set fire to a wooden palisade |
Keep | A wooden tower on top of the motte. The lord of the castle would live in the keep | The keep had the best view of the surrounding area. The lord would place archers on top of the keep to defend the castle The keep was the final point of defence | An enemy inside the castle could set fire to a wooden keep The keep was too small to protect the residents of the castle in an attack |
Motte | A mound of earth roughly five to seven metres high | As the motte was made of earth, it was fireproof Normans could construct mottes quickly if the landscape naturally had a hill | If the location of a castle was flat, peasant labour built a motte. This could take months to achieve |
Bailey | The area of land enclosed by the palisade, below the motte | The bailey provided land for residents to live in. People grew crops and livestock in this area | During an attack, people took shelter in the bailey. If the attacker broke through the palisade, the residents had no protection |
Moat | A ditch surrounding the palisade | Normans could have a dry moat as well as one filled with water. This made moats cheap to make A moat protected the palisade from attacks | Dry moats offered less protection than water-filled moats Attackers could tunnel under moats |
Drawbridge | A bridge over the moat gave access to the castle | In an attack, the Normans could pull up the drawbridge. This made it harder for an attacker to break into the castle | If the drawbridge broke, it would trap the people of the castle inside the palisade |
Gatehouse | The entrance to a castle. Guards could control who entered the castle | Gatehouses protected the residents inside the castle from attack. Later developments of castles introduced extra defences to gatehouses | Gatehouses were structurally the weakest point of the castle. Enemies targeted gatehouses in an attack |
Worked Example
Describe one feature of a motte and bailey castle
2 marks
Answer:
One feature of a motte and bailey castle was a moat (1). A moat was a ditch that surrounded the castle to prevent attackers from reaching the palisade (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Students often get confused between mottes and moats. The motte is the hill inside the castle and moats were ditches around the castle. The worked example above shows how to explain a moat.
Why Were Castles Important to William the Conqueror?
William wanted castles built in strategic locations
These locations included in borderlands, near rivers and mountains
Castles stopped attacks from Anglo-Saxons or the Welsh
Castles provided an important base for military operations
Marcher earls launched attacks on Wales from Chepstow castle
Castles provided a place to retreat to if attacks were unsuccessful
The building of castles was a response to unrest
Towns like Exeter, Warwick, Nottingham and York resisted Norman rule
Castles imposed Norman power on these areas
To the Anglo-Saxon community, castles became a symbol of power and repression
Castles reminded Anglo-Saxons that they were not free
William ruled England using force
Differences Between Castles & Burhs
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