The construction of medieval Norman castles commenced rapidly after William the Conqueror’s decisive victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. These castles were strategically built across England to establish and consolidate Norman control over the conquered territories. Beyond their military function as defensive fortresses designed to withstand attacks, Norman castles also served as powerful symbols of the new ruling elite’s authority and dominance. Constructed primarily from timber in their earliest phases, many castles were later rebuilt in stone to enhance their strength and durability. Their presence fundamentally transformed the English landscape and played a crucial role in the political and social restructuring of medieval England under Norman rule.
The main purpose of the construction of these castles was to quickly establish a power base and consolidate Norman rule throughout England, using a network of castles. These castles opened a new era in the history of England and castle construction, they were inspired by castles built by the Franks in Francia (Kingdom of the Franks).
Norman Castles *Timeline
According to various estimates of medieval castles by archaeologists, Normans built nearly 500 castles within the first 20 years of the reign of William the Conqueror. These Norman castles were scattered all over England, although special attention was paid to strategic locations and important towns.
Various improvements were gradually introduced to Normal Castles with the passage of time and after 1070, square towers with four-cornered turrets became popular. The first castles that Normans built were called motte and bailey castles which in French stands for “clod of earth and enclosure” respectively.
Medieval Norman Castles Design
- Certain distinguishing characteristics could be observed in the design of Norman Castles
- Square towers with four corner turrets
- Extremely thick walls
- Separate storage rooms and living quarters
- Castle chapel
Eventually, round keeps became more popular because it was easier to defend a medieval castle with round keeps compared to square keeps.
How were Norman Castles Built?
Positioning was very important in the construction of a Norman castle. This medieval castle was called a motte castle because it was built on a large mound that could be anywhere between 25 feet and 100 feet in height. It was also customary to dig a ditch surrounding the motte to make it more secure.
The bailey was the flat land that accompanied the motte and generally ranged from one to three acres. Bailey was also surrounded by a ditch called a fosse.
Most Famous Medieval Norman Castles
Hundreds of Norman Castles were built within a few years of the Norman Conquest. One of the earliest built medieval castles after the Norman Conquest was Arundel Castle which had 100 feet high motte and housed the dukes of Norfolk over the subsequent centuries.
Famous Norman Castles
- Barnard castle built in 1095
- Appleby Castle built in 1100
- Alnwick Castle built in 1096
- Berkeley Castle built in 1091
Norman Medieval Castle Network
The location of Norman Castles was chosen after due consideration of strategic importance. The twin aims of these castles were the defence and control of major towns and cities of England. Thus castles were built in major towns of Cambridge, Lincoln, Warwick, York, and Nottingham. Further, this network of castles also made use of pre-existing sites of Roman and Saxon forts.
Summary of Medieval Norman Castles
The construction of Normal Castles in England ushered in a new era of castle building. Previously, there were very few medieval castles in the country and even those had major defects compared to the latter Norman Castles.
While the first phase of this medieval castle building by Normans was led by the king, subsequently various other castles were built by major magnates and knights on their newly acquired estates.
