Table of Contents
What is a Motte and Bailey in a 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. Many castles of this type also had a ditch around the bailey.
What are 3 features of a motte-and-bailey castle?
The castle is made up of two parts. The motte is a raised mound or earthwork which would have a stone or wooden keep on top. A keep is a kind fortified tower. The bailey is an enclosed courtyard that was protected by a ditch and a palisade – which is a wall made from wooden stakes.
What is the purpose of 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.
How were motte and bailey castles attacked?
Fire was the best way to attack the early Motte and Bailey castles since they were made entirely of wood. The fire might be started by building a bonfire against the outer wooden fence (palisade) or, more usually, by archers shooting fire-arrows into the castle. Fire has little effect on a stone castle.
What is motte meaning?
Definition of motte : mound, hill especially : a hill serving as a site for a Norman castle in Britain.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of motte and bailey castles?
Motte and Bailey Castles Advantages quick to build protected by the soldiers Disadvantages made of wood temporary Evaluation A motte and bailey castle was a way that William the Conqueror could control his land that he had just won. This was only temporary solution though so that is why stone castles started to be built.
Why is there very little evidence of motte and bailey castles?
A small number of motte-and-bailey castles were built outside of northern Europe. In the late-12th century, the Normans invaded southern Italy and Sicily; although they had the technology to build more modern designs, in many cases wooden motte-and-bailey castles were built instead for reasons of speed.
Who would live in a 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.
Why did stone castles replace motte and bailey?
The wooden defences of motte and bailey castles were replaced by walls and towers of stone. Why did stone castles replace the motte and bailey castles? The methods of attacking and besieging castles improved over time and so became a need for stronger, more durable (longer lasting) defences.
What is a motte and bailey castle ks3?
What is a Motte and Bailey Castle? The motte is a raised mound of earth which has a wooden or stone building on it, often referred to as a keep. The bailey is an enclosed courtyard that is surrounded by walls and a ditch and palisade — which is a wooden stake fence.
How did motte and bailey castles help control England?
Wooden motte and bailey castles helped William to quickly control the English BUT they burned easily and they rotted. Later castles were built from stone. These stone castles were impressive and showed everyone the baron was in charge and it was also a safe place from which to rule the local area.
Are siege towers real?
Siege towers were extensively used during the medieval times but their actual use can be traced back to the ancient times when they were used by Assyrians as far back as the 9th century BC. Subsequently, the siege towers were also used by ancient Greeks and Romans as well as in ancient China.
How do you breach a castle?
There are a number of ways of assaulting a castle: over the top of the walls using towers or ladders, under the walls using a mine, or through the walls using a battering ram, pickaxes or other tools.
What is it called when you take over a castle?
Besieging a castle involved assembling and paying an army, gathering supplies, and hauling them to the siege site. Because the costs were so high, military leaders normally did not rush into a siege.
What does bailey mean?
Bailey is traditionally a male given name which was originally derived from the Old English term “bailiff”. The meaning of this originally masculine name translates to “agent of the law”/”debt collector”.
What is Baily?
(ˈbeɪlɪ ) noun. one of the largest craters on the moon, about 293 kilometres in diameter, lying in the SE quadrant.
What is the meaning of Baily?
noun The jurisdiction, authority, or office of a bailiff or bailie; hence, jurisdiction or authority, especially as delegated; stewardship. noun The district of a bailiff or bailie; a bailiwick.
What are the bad things about motte and bailey castles?
The Motte and Bailey Castle design, however, was not all positive and had some weaknesses too. For example it was made out of wood, which meant that it could be easily burnt down. Another thing is that wood also easily rots.
What are the main defensive features of a motte and bailey castle?
The Castle consisted of two basic parts. The Motte, a mound of earth with, initially, a wooden tower on the top of it. And the bailey, a larger area surrounded by a fence. Around both the Motte and the bailey the Normans would have, in most cases, dug a defensive ditch.
Why are concentric castles better than motte and bailey?
A concentric castle is a much larger construction than Motte and bailey or Stone keep castles. Concentric Castles, such as Beaumaris and Caerphilly Castles, make best use of angles in a castles design, providing the defender with more opportunity to hurt any attacking force.
