Famous Motte and Bailey CastlesFamous Motte and Bailey Castles - Famous Motte and Bailey Castles in England, Wales and Scotland
- Where were Famous Motte and Bailey Castles in English and Welsh situated?
- What remains of the Famous Motte and Bailey Castles in England?
Locations of Famous Motte and Bailey Castles The first of the famous Motte and Bailey Castles was built at Mont Glonme on the River Loire in France in 990. The location and sites of the Motte and Bailey Castle followed a pattern covering some, or all, of the following requirements and their layout was often modified according to their location: - They were built on the highest ground in the area
- They often adjoined Rivers
- They often overlooked Towns
- They made use of existing sites of Roman or Saxon forts and Burhs
- They overlooked harbours
Famous sites of the Motte and Bailey castles can be identified from these types of locations. A drive through the English countryside affords the opportunity to identify the sites of famous Motte and Bailey castles as there is the evidence of the huge mounds of earth, or Mottes, on which they were built. The History of famous Motte and Bailey Castles The History of the majority of famous Motte and Bailey Castles dates back to William the Conqueror and the Normans - but a few were built by Norman friends of Edward the Confessor before the Norman Invasion . It is interesting to note, however, that the actual sites of many of these famous timber Motte and Bailey castles housed fortresses from bygone times: - Hillforts were built during the Bronze and Iron Age on some of these famous sites
- The Romans built their wooden forts on some of these famous sites
- The Anglo Saxons built fortified townships, called Burhs, on these sites
- Many of the original Motte and Bailey castles were replaced by stone castles
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