How and why did Castles change during the Medieval Ages? Getting ready to build our own castles!

You will look into the major changes in medieval castles and the reasons behind these. Through a number of different tasks you will discover just how important castles were to medieval people, what made them strong and what impact they had on people’s lives at the time. Finally you will use your understanding to design and make a model of your very own castle showing just what you have learned about what makes a castle successful and strong.

What’s the link between these?

All these things have something to do with PROTECTION! Answer All these things have something to do with PROTECTION!

Medieval Castles Between 1066 – 1500 over 1,500 castles were built in England and Wales. Over this time the way they were built changed a great deal. Most of the reasons castles changed were because attackers found new ways of breaking into them. Castle defences needed to change to keep these attackers out.

Background - Norman conquest! King William I defeated the Saxons at the Battle of Hastings and spent the next 20 years During this time he built over 100 Motte and Bailey Castles. These were important bases to protect Norman troops and keep an eye on local unrest.

William’s immediate problems Geography Language A hostile population

Motte and Bailey Castles!

When William came over from Normandy he quickly began building Motte and Bailey castles. Although quick and simple to build, the Motte and Bailey castle also had weaknesses. Because this type of castle was built from wood it could easily be set on fire and would rot over time. Sooner or later an enemy would realize the weaknesses of these castles, so a more permanent solution was needed.

The end of the Motte and Bailey The Normans quickly set about building castles made of stone. These type of castles were called Square Keep castles. Why do you think this spelt the end of Motte and Bailey castles? The Motte was too weak to hold the huge weight of the stone castles.

What was life like inside a Stone Keep castle? Life in a stone keep castle was better than in a Motte and Bailey… but not by much! There was more room inside, but it was still draughty and much of the castle was built around the idea of defence, not luxury. The walls were 4 metres thick in places. Stone Keep castles were also extremely heavy. This meant that they couldn't be built on the old Motte and Bailey castle sites, because the man-made Motte would not support the weight of all the stone!

Life in the castle “We get up around 6 a.m. It is cold and damp by then and my limbs are stiff from sleeping on the floor, I have to remember to remove any strands of hay which get stuck in my clothes as I sleep on them. While the men make the fires, I go down to the stores to get food for the Lord and Lady’s breakfast. I open the shutters in the Lord’s bedroom and help Lady Jane get dressed. I send for one of the castle boys as the guardrobe is smelling terribly and the pit needs clearing.” Mary Smith, 1115. Is this account reliable? Why? Does it add anything useful to your knowledge of castle life?

A Medieval Castle Bailey – A safe place to shelter during an attack Merlons – raised stonework Keep ~ Walls 2.5 m thick Wall Towers ~ with splay bottoms Crenels Curtain Wall Round Towers Moat Gatehouse with a drawbridge at the front. Hoarding with leather cover ~ used to protect the towers and walls when being attacked Arrow Slits

Further castle developments Stone keep castles were good, but they still had weaknesses. Because they were built with corners, they could be easily weakened if an enemy tunnelled underneath and collapsed the tunnel. This would cause the keep’s edges to fall through the ground into the tunnel, and cause the keep to either lean over or collapse! What solutions do you think there might be to this design problem?

The solution actually came from the Crusades The solution actually came from the Crusades! The Crusaders, Christian knights who had fought in distant countries, brought back a new type of castle design with them. These were Concentric castles with circular towers. This meant the castle had a layered defence of many towers. There were few corners and so enemies mining beneath was less of a problem. Later on, comfort became more important as life in England became less violent. Some castles were just fortified stately homes.

What makes a strong castle? What could you put into your design?