What is at the bottom of a motte?
What is at the bottom of a motte? On the outside of the fence, there would have been a moat that ran around the bailey and all the way around bottom of the motte (the motte would have been like an island). There would be many buildings inside the bailey. Some of these included stables, storehouse, ale house, bakeries, kitchens, and houses.
What replaced motte and bailey castles?
Across Europe, motte-and-bailey construction came to an end. At the end of the 12th century, the Welsh rulers began to build castles in stone, primarily in the principality of North Wales and usually along the higher peaks where mottes were unnecessary.
What was the strongest part of the castle?
keep, English term corresponding to the French donjon for the strongest portion of the fortification of a castle, the place of last resort in case of siege or attack. The keep was either a single tower or a larger fortified enclosure.
Why is a keep called a keep?
Since the 16th century, the English word keep has commonly referred to large towers in castles. The word originates from around 1375 to 1376, coming from the Middle English term kype, meaning basket or cask, and was a term applied to the shell keep at Guînes, said to resemble a barrel.
Why were castle walls sloped?
Often, these walls sloped away at the base to redirect objects dropped from the top of the castle wall, ricocheting them out at soldiers on the ground. Because they had walls to protect them, castle defenders would sometimes hunker down and try to wait out their attackers.
What is the safest castle in the UK?
The Tower of London is the most secure castle in the UK. This mediaeval fortress has served as a royal palace, prison, execution ground, and military stronghold.
What is the water around a castle called?
moat, a depression surrounding a castle, city wall, or other fortification, usually but not always filled with water.