Table of Contents
What were the weaknesses of the stone keep castle?
However there still remained a number of weaknesses within the design of these castles. Stone keeps are square and an attacker could, if they were fortunate enough to get close enough, mine underneath a corner and wait for the weight of the castle to bring the walls caving in.
What was the best way to win against a stone keep castle?
A good way of attacking a stone castle was through mining. Attackers would dig a tunnel underground up to the castle walls, under the gatehouse if possible. They would then set a charge and make an explosion which would make the walls crumble and collapse.
Why did they stop building stone keep castles?
Stone was more expensive, harder to manipulate and required a skilled workforce. Castle engineers did not trust the motte to support the enormous weight of a stone keep.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of a motte and Bailey castle?
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 |
What were the strengths and weaknesses of a stone keep castle?
Stone keep castles were a lot bigger than motte and bailey castles and were able to hold more soldiers. Because of their vast size they were much harder to attack. However, they had two main weaknesses – there was nothing to be done if the enemy surrounded except remain in the castle.
What was the main weaknesses 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.
What are the disadvantages of motte and bailey castles?
At a glance: disadvantages of Motte and Bailey castles
- 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 did stone castles improve over the years and why?
Stone is more durable and resistant than wood and so it became the preferred building materials for castles. Stone castles were built taller and gave better protection against attack, fire and cold rainy weather.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a stone keep?
Stone keep castles were a lot bigger than motte and bailey castles and were able to hold more soldiers. Because of their vast size they were much harder to attack. However, they had two main weaknesses – there was nothing to be done if the enemy surrounded except remain in the castle.
What was the stone keep in a castle?
The Stone Keep was a central feature of the castle, a stone tower built on the highest point. It was typically very tall with thick stone walls and is where the owners would have lived.
What are the weaknesses of a motte and bailey castle?
The weaknesses of motte and bailey castles included being made from wood, as the castles could not be large sizes and the wood would rot from being rained on. Wood becomes weaker as it ages, can burn easily and the motte could collapse with the castle’s weight if it was not large enough to hold bigger troop sizes.
What was the weakness of a square keep?
Square keeps did have their weaknesses. It was possible to undermine the corners of a square keeps to make them collapse. Enemy minors would dig tunnels beneath the castle at the corner removing the foundations and replacing them with wooden props.