What are the parts of a motte-and-bailey castle?
A motte-and-bailey castle is made up of two parts. The motte is a raised earthwork with a fortified tower, called a keep, on top. A keep could be made of stone or wood. The bailey is an enclosed courtyard surrounded by a palisade with walls made from wooden stakes.
What is the motte in a motte-and-bailey castle?
The Normans brought with them new forms of military architecture, among the most important of which was the motte and bailey Castle. This consisted of two main components: the motte, an artificial mound atop which was built a fortified tower called a keep, and a bailey, which was an enclosure connected to the motte.
What part of a castle is a bailey?
inner courtyard
The bailey was an inner courtyard in the middle of the castle that sometimes had many smaller buildings inside it. In other words, it was the area inside the curtain wall that was protected. This is because the buildings in the bailey were usually important areas for life in the castle.
What was the purpose of the motte-and-bailey castle?
Motte and bailey castles were a form of castle structure that enabled the new Norman conquerors of England and Wales to secure areas of land quickly and cheaply. The Normans needed a castle design they could erect quickly to subdue the vanquished Britons.
What were the main defensive features of a Motte and Bailey castle?
The Keep. The keep on top of the motte was the castle’s primary defensive element. It was surrounded by a protective wall, originally made of wood. Small mottes could only support a simple tower but larger mottes could support more complex structures that often contained multiple rooms.
What does a motte look like?
A motte is a mound, either natural or artificial, topped with a tower known as a keep. The earth for an artificial mound would be taken from a ditch, dug around the motte or around the whole castle. The outer surface of the mound could be covered with clay or strengthened with wooden supports.
What is motte meaning?
mound, hill
Definition of motte : mound, hill especially : a hill serving as a site for a Norman castle in Britain.
What are bailey walls?
A bailey or ward in a fortification is a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall.
What was life like in a motte-and-bailey castle?
The bailey varied in size from one to three acres. Inside the bailey, lived the followers of the Lord who ran the castle. There were many buildings inside the bailey including stables, storehouses, bakeries, kitchens, houses, and quarters for soldiers. A strong wooden fence (palisade) surrounded the buildings.
What does a motte and bailey look like?
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade.
How were the motte and bailey castles built?
The castles consisted of a wooden wall, perhaps built on an earth bank, encircling an open space or courtyard (bailey) and a natural or artificial hill (motte) which had a wooden tower built in the centre of its flattened top, sometimes surrounded by its own wooden palisade.
What is a Motte in a castle?
The motte was a huge mound with a castle, or keep, built on top. It would have been easy to defend, as people would have had to climb up it slowly to reach the keep. Most mottes were surrounded by a deep ditch to stop attackers. The bailey was a large area of ground, surrounded by a tall, wooden fence.
Is Motte a Scrabble word?
MOTTE is a valid scrabble word.
What does a motte-and-bailey look like?
What does bailey mean in a castle?
A bailey or ward in a fortification is a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a motte-and-bailey. Castles can have more than one bailey.
How long did it take to build a motte?
Research on one of William’s motte and bailey castles at Hampstead Marshall shows that the motte contains 22,000 tons of soil. This motte took fifty men eighty days to build. Using this as a guide, the motte at Dover would have needed 500 men to complete in eight days.
Who lived in motte and bailey castle?
At the bottom of the motte was the bailey. The bailey varied in size from one to three acres. Inside the bailey, lived the followers of the Lord who ran the castle. There were many buildings inside the bailey including stables, storehouses, bakeries, kitchens, houses, and quarters for soldiers.
What were the main defensive features of a motte-and-bailey castle?