Motte and bailey castles

Motte and bailey castles were a form of castle structure that enabled the new Norman conquerors of England and Wales to secure areas of land quickly and cheaply.

The Normans needed a castle design they could erect quickly to subdue the vanquished Britons.

The name 'motte and bailey' describes the two parts of the structure. A motte was an earth mound, forming a defensible raised platform on which a tower - a keep - could be built. The earth for the motte would be taken from around its own base, forming a deep ditch, aiding the builders' ability to defend.

The motte would be strengthened with wooden supports or clay.

The baileys built by the Normans tended initially to be wood, as speed was of the essence. They were enclosures which sometimes surrounded the base of the motte, providing another layer of defence, or sometimes positioned simply at its base to one side, to be used as an enclosure.

Wooden motte and bailey castles, providing they served their purpose and were located properly, were often rebuilt as stone structures when the Norman lords felt more secure. The Norman inner castle in Cardiff is a superb example of the motte and bailey structure.