What is the function of the keep of Motte and Bailey castle?
What is the function of the keep of Motte and Bailey castle? The motte served two main functions – it was a look-out spot, given its height, and its keep would serve as the last stronghold in the event of the castle being attacked. The Bayeux Tapestry, dating from the eleventh century, depicts the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Who lives in the keep of a castle?
What other rooms were there in a Medieval castle? At the time of Chr tien de Troyes, the rooms where the lord of a castle, his family and his knights lived and ate and slept were in the Keep (called the Donjon), the rectangular tower inside the walls of a castle. This was meant to be the strongest and safest place.
Why were stone keep castles better than motte and bailey?
The Stone Keep Castle also had positive points, which made it better than the Motte and Bailey castle. Firstly they were not made from wood, so they could not easily be burnt down. Also, because they were made of stone, they could not rot.
How did motte and bailey castles helped William keep control?
William's use of castles The Norman conquerors were unpopular with many people in England, so they quickly built motte-and-bailey castles all over the country to protect themselves and send out a warning to people that they were here to stay and keep control.
What are the 3 types of castles?
The three main types of castles are the motte and bailey castle, the stone keep castle, and the concentric castle.
What were the key features of the keep castle?
The stone keepwas a central feature of the castle, a stone tower built on the highest point. It was typically very tall with thick stone walls and is where the owners would have lived. Not all keeps were the same, but there would have typically been: Battlements- on the top of the keep to provide defence.
How are motte and bailey castles defended?
The motte-and-bailey castle consisted of an elevated mound of earth, called the motte, which was crowned with a timber palisade and surrounded by a defensive ditch that also separated the motte from a palisaded outer compound, called the bailey.
Did motte and bailey castles have a keep?
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade.
What was the safest place in a motte-and-bailey castle?
The keep was the building where the owners of the castle would live. It was the safest place in the castle. The bailey was open, flat ground surrounded by a tall, wooden fence, often topped with spikes.
Why is a castle 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.
How long do castles last?
There are always exceptions to this, but it would appear that a few hundred years is the maximum a castle will survive without maintenance. A very well built castle will last indefinitely. Older castles may last longer than more recent ones.