Why was a ditch dug around the bailey?

Why was a ditch dug around the bailey?

The ditch was called a fosse and surrounded the bailey for additional security. The followers of the lord of the castle lived inside the bailey. There were often many buildings inside the bailey. These would include stables, storehouses, bakeries, kitchens, houses and soldiers quarters.

What was the purpose of Motte and Bailey castles?

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.

How did Motte and Bailey castles defend?

Motte & Bailey castles. A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle situated on a raised earthwork and surrounded by a ditch and protective fence. The bailey was an outer enclosure, which was also defended by a fence and sometimes a ditch, providing a first, outer line of defence for the motte.

What makes the Motte and Bailey castle an effective castle?

Building motte and bailey castles were an effective way of securing towns that had submitted to his power. Although the wooden structure was much more vulnerable to damage than a stone structure, a motte and bailey castle could be built quickly until the Normans had the time to build more permanent stone structures.

Does a Motte and Bailey castle have a moat?

Motte and Bailey Castles, the original Castle design. If we are asked to visualize a castle, most of us will come with the image of a grand building made up of stone, with several towers and an impressive keep, a massive gatehouse, battlements with arrow slits, and a deep moat surrounding the entire edifice.

How many Motte and Bailey castles were built?

The Normans from France, introduced the Motte and Bailey castle to England, when they invaded the country in 1066. It is believed that as many as 1000 Motte and Bailey Castles were built in England by the Normans.

Does a motte and bailey castle have a moat?

What is the moat in a castle?

moat, a depression surrounding a castle, city wall, or other fortification, usually but not always filled with water. The existence of a moat was a natural result of early methods of fortification by earthworks, for the ditch produced by the removal of earth to form a rampart made a valuable part of the defense system.

How does a moat protect a castle?

The purpose of a moat was primarily to protect the castle from attack. Moats filled with water were usually supplied by a nearby source of water, such as a spring, lake, or river. Dams could be built that would control the level of water in the moat.

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.

What is the biggest castle in England?

Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is often called the largest inhabited castle in the world and is definitely the largest castle in England. It is one of the official residences of Queen Elizabeth II who spends many weekends of the year at the castle, using it for both state and private entertaining.

What does a motte and bailey castle look like?

Jump to navigation Jump to search. A motte-and-bailey castle is a fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade.

Why was the motte and bailey important to the Normans?

When the Normans invaded England in 1066, they knew that Motte and Bailey castles were fundamental to conquering the country. The Normans were ferocious fighters, and had captured huge swathes of land across Northern Europe – and Motte and Bailey castles had been extremely important in their previous successes.

Where does the word motte and bailey come from?

The word motte is the French version of the Latin mota, and in France the word motte, generally used for a clump of turf, came to refer to a turf bank, and by the 12th century was used to refer to the castle design itself. The word “bailey” comes from the Norman-French baille, or basse-cour, referring to a low yard.

Is it hard to build a motte castle?

Building a large Motte was a disproportionately difficult task – larger hills require much more piled earth than smaller hills – it’s disproportionately hard to build a large castle Although the base of the hill may have been large, the bailey at the top was often quite small.