The motte and bailey castle at Dover took just
eight days
to build – according to William of Poitiers who was William’s chaplain. Was such a feat possible? Building castles then was very labour intensive.
How long does it take to build a castle?
Castles generally took
two to 10 years to
build. To learn and understand medieval castle building techniques, let’s look at a modern castle building project.
How was a Motte and Bailey castle 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.
How long did stone keep castles take to build?
Castles generally took
two to 10 years
to build.
How long did motte-and-bailey castles last?
In the mid-medieval period, the motte and bailey style castle became less popular and the last one built in England was in 1170, although they were built in Wales for another 30 years.
What are the disadvantages of a Motte and Bailey castle?
The major weakness of the motte and bailey castle was
the likelihood of the keep rotting or burning down
. The solution was to build stone keeps but these could not always be built on the same site since the weight of the stone would sink into the motte.
Who lives 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.
What are the 3 types of castles?
The three main types of castles are
the motte and bailey castle
What are the disadvantages of stone keep castles?
-Stone
castles were expensive to build
. -Attackers could target vulnerable areas by tunnelling through. -The towers could be badly damaged by attackers’ weapons.
How many man hours does it take to build a castle?
At approximately
2-3 million man hours
, 2,700 men, working for one hundred 10 hour days, would take approximately 4 months to finish the entire fortress.
What are 5 features of Norman castles?
- Key Features. Windows. …
- Doors. Castle doors had to be reinforced to withstand attack. …
- Towers. Crenellated towers are a distinguishing feature of Norman castles. …
- Timber. The first of England’s Norman castles were built from wood.
What activities happened in a bailey?
The bailey would contain a wide number of buildings, including
a hall, kitchens, a chapel, barracks, stores, stables, forges or workshops
, and was the centre of the castle’s economic activity. The bailey was connected to the motte by a bridge, or, as often seen in England, by steps cut into the motte.
Why did the Normans build so many castles?
After their victory at the Battle of Hastings, the Normans settled in England. They constructed
castles all over the country in order to control their newly-won territory
, and to pacify the Anglo-Saxon population. … These timber castles were quite cheap and very quick to build.
What are two disadvantages of a Motte and Bailey castle?
- Timber burns easily -and attackers quickly learned that firing flaming arrows could defeat the castle.
- Timber rots, to0 – castles quickly ran into disrepair, and often became abandoned by their owners.
- Mottes often had a broad base.
How could a Motte and Bailey castle be improved?
During the 12th century many castles were improved and
strengthened by using stone as the ain building material
. The wooden defences of motte and bailey castles were replaced by walls and towers of stone. … Stone castles were built taller and gave better protection against attack, fire and cold rainy weather.
What were Motte and Bailey castles used for?
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.
