Motte and Bailey Castle Hotspots Labelled Poster

How can I teach children about the features of a Norman castle?

For best results, we recommend using this handy hotspot activity with Google Chrome.

Use this fun and interactive Motte and Bailey Castle Hotspots Labelled Poster to reveal the main features of a Norman castle. Just follow these three simple steps:

1. Click the green Download Now button. 
2. Open the PDF file and display it on your classroom screen.
3. Click a hotspot to reveal the features of a Norman castle.

In a castle? How do you know if it’s Norman? Here’s a handy list of the main features of a Norman castle:

• Motte: This is a large mound or hill with the keep on the top. 
• Keep: The Lord and his family would live here. The steep sides to make it difficult to attack.
• Bailey: The courtyard area of the castle. It was fenced off and surrounded by a ditch.
• Barracks: This is where the Norman soldiers lived. They were looked-after and well- paid.
• Store House: Food was stored here. 
• Stables: The soldier’s horses were kept in the stables. A stable hand looked after them
• Palisade: A large, defensive wooden fence surrounding the bailey on all sides.
• Ditch: For protection against attacks, a ditch (called a ‘fosse’) ran around the outside of the palisade.
• Blacksmiths: Weapons for the soldiers were made here.  

For more in-depth information about the features of a Norman castle, take a look at our handy Teaching Wiki about the Motte And Bailey style of fortification.

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How does the labelled motte and bailey castle support learning?

Help your children to learn about the Normans with our Motte and Bailey Castle Hotspots Labelled Poster. 

If you’re searching for other great resources for teaching about the Norman Conquest, why not take a look at our Motte And Bailey PowerPoint? It contains beautiful images to illustrate the key features of a Norman castle. 

And once your pupils understand the parts of a Norman castle, why not test their knowledge and comprehension skills with this pack of differentiated motte and bailey activity sheets?   

Discover more helpful information about the Norman Conquest in our Teaching Wiki about The Battle Of Hastings.

Historical Facts About The Features Of A Norman Castle

• In Norman French, the word motte means ‘clod of earth’ and the word ‘bailey’ means enclosure. 
• After the Normans invaded England in 1066, motte and bailey castles were considered an excellent form of defence. It is believed that the Normans built over 1000 castles. 
• With about 8000 soldiers, William The Conqueror built motte and bailey castles to maintain his power and secure towns. 
• Norman castles were partly-designed to look imposing to the Anglo-Saxons who had been conquered. They acted as a reminder of the Norman’s power.
• The Normans built castles in locations considered strategically important. They began building them close to their landing site on the south-east coast of England. 
• Norman castles were used to intimidate local people and store supplies. They were a base for Norman soldiers. 
•  Another important feature of a Norman castle was that they were wooden. This made them more vulnerable to damage. They were seen as temporary until permanent stone structures could be built.
• One of the most important features of the Norman motte and bailey castle was that it could be built quickly. Some castles were built in a few days.
• The building materials used in motte and bailey castles were liable to rot or burn down. They were sometimes reinforced with stone keeps, but these could not always be positioned on the motte (mound) because they would sink.

Let us take the strain out of lesson planning with this handy KS1 video lesson about the features of castles. It includes some great ideas for castle-related learning activities: