Knowra Motte-and-bailey castle Motte-and-bailey castle A medieval fortification combining a defended mound, or motte, with an adjoining enclosed courtyard, or bailey. It was often built chiefly from timber and earth.
Motte : A steep-sided earthen mound used as a fortified platform, often topped by a tower. The mound elevated the castle’s strongest defensive position above the surrounding ground.
Norman conquest of England : The conquest of England by William, duke of Normandy, culminating in his victory in 1066. Norman rulers built many castles of this form to secure their control of England.
Medieval siege : A military operation that surrounds and attacks a fortified place to capture it. The castle’s height and barriers delayed attackers, but a sustained siege could overcome them.
Stone keep : A fortified stone tower that served as a castle’s principal stronghold and residence. Replacing a timber tower with a stone keep made some castles more durable and resistant to fire.
Bailey : An enclosed courtyard within a castle, used for buildings, activity, and shelter. This courtyard held people and functions that the elevated motte could not accommodate.
William the Conqueror : Duke of Normandy who conquered England and ruled as its king from 1066 to 1087. His campaigns drove the construction of castles that could be built rapidly across England.
Gatehouse : A fortified structure built to control and defend an entrance through a wall or enclosure. The bailey entrance was a vulnerable point that required controlled, defensible access.
Stone castle : A castle whose principal defensive structures are built from stone. Stone construction later transformed many sites first fortified with timber and earth.
Palisade : A defensive fence made from upright wooden stakes or logs. A timber palisade could enclose the mound, the bailey, or both.
Normandy : A region in northern France that became a duchy ruled by the Normans. The castle form was established in Norman territories before its expansion into England.
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