Year 10 - History
Establishing control: motte-and-bailey castles
British Depth Study: Norman England, c1066–c1100
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils study an aspect of British medieval history in depth. They learn about the social, economic, religious and political events that influenced the lives of those who lived in this period.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe Norman motte-and-bailey castles and explain the reasons for their construction in England.
Key Notes
- Castles were a military innovation that was almost unknown in Anglo-Saxon England.
- Castles had a military function, acting as bases for troops who would control and oppress key areas.
- Castles also had a psychological impact of terrifying and dominating the local population.
- Castles were centres of Norman control, acting as bases for Norman nobles to administer an area.
- Most Norman castles were variations of the motte-and-bailey design.
Vocabulary To Learn
- motte-and-bailey: a motte-and-bailey castle is a fortress in which there is a motte (small hill) surrounded by a bailey (courtyard) inside an outer wall
- burh: a burh was a fortified Anglo-Saxon town
- oppress: to oppress is to govern people in an unfair and cruel way and prevent them from having opportunities and freedom
- keep: a keep is the strong main tower of a castle which acted as a watchtower and a final point of defence
- palisade: a palisade is a strong fence made out of solid wooden poles that is used to protect people or a place from being attacked
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- A common misconception is that castles only had a military function.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Castles were a military innovation that was almost unknown in Anglo-Saxon England. Castles had a military function, acting as bases for troops who would control and oppress key areas.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'motte-and-bailey'
a motte-and-bailey castle is a fortress in which there is a motte (small hill) surrounded by a bailey (courtyard) inside an outer wall.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: A common misconception is that castles only had a military function. Correction: Norman castles also acted as administrative centres. They had a psychological function in dominating the landscape and the people who lived there and some castles also helped trade develop.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Anglo-Saxon kingship Study Guide
- Battle of Hastings Study Guide
- Battle of Stamford Bridge Study Guide
- Changing laws in Norman England: Forest law Study Guide
- Continuity and change in Norman government Study Guide
- Daily life in Norman England Study Guide
- Domesday Book Study Guide
- Edward the Confessor, the Godwins and William of Normandy Study Guide
- Edward the Confessor's death and the claimants to the throne Study Guide
- Establishing control: new earls and earldoms Study Guide
- Justice and the legal system in Norman England Study Guide
- Key figures in the government of Norman England Study Guide
- Land and inheritance in Norman England Study Guide
- Lanfranc's reforms Study Guide
- Life in towns in Norman England Study Guide
- Life in villages in Norman England Study Guide
- Norman reforms of English monasticism Study Guide
- Reasons for William's victory in 1066 Study Guide
- Revolts against William I, 1067-1075 Study Guide
- The Anglo-Saxon Church Study Guide
- The built environment of Norman England Study Guide
- The Harrying of the North, 1069-70 Study Guide
- The king and the Church in Norman England Study Guide
- The Norman Church Study Guide
- The Norman feudal system Study Guide
- The Reform Papacy Study Guide
- The submission of London in 1066 Study Guide
- William's consolidation of power Study Guide
- Work and diet in Norman England Study Guide
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