The power of the castle

How did William militarise the landscape of England?

With castles

How many castles already existed in England prior to Norman occupation?

Two

Who built the first two castles in England?

Ralf of Montes

What became William's key instrument of war in England?

The Motte and Bailey castle

The surrender of which place was marked with a castle?

Exeter

As the North was quelled which further castles were built?

York, Warwick, Nottingham, Huntingdon, Lincoln and Cambridge

Why were a chain of castles built on the Welsh border?

To watch over the mountain passes

What did the castles on the Welsh border become a basis for?

Norman penetration of Wales

Why were castles built at Newcastle and Carlisle?

To guard England's Northern frontier and provide staging posts for expeditions over the border into Scotland

Why were castles vital to Normans?

After occupation they were outnumbered and overstretched

What did castles provide points for?

Points where troops could be concentrated and patrols sent out to dominate the surrounding landscape

How did castles change the nature of warfare?

From open battle to sieges

What did rebels now have to do to win?

Successfully storm the forts

What did Orderic Vitalis believe was a key reason for rebel failure?

The rebels' lack of castles

How can the importance the Normans attached to the castle be seen?

The high calibre of men installed as castellans or castle leaders

What were all castellans or castle leaders?

Norman magnates

Who was entrusted with the first castle in York?

William Malet of Granville-Sainte-Honorine

What was deeply resented buy the English people?

The Norman programme of building castles

How many castles had been constructed by 1100?

80+

How many castles were built in towns?

2/3

What was the psychological function of castles in England?

Symbol of power and authority of the new regime

What did the presence of castles tree to the English?

The permanence of the Norman presence

When was the building of the White Tower begin and end?

The 1070s and around 1100

Where did William build a further two towers?

Chepstow and Colchester

What did castles become after the threat of the rebellion went down?

Seats of local government and therefore an inescapable feature of everyday life

Why were castles typically built?

As a response to local circumstances

What was the administrative function of castles?

They provided a ready made market which acted as centres for trades

How far apart were castles from each other?

Half a day's ride apart

What were Motte and Bailey castles vulnerable to?

Sieging

How many houses were destroyed in Cambridge to build a castle?

27

How many houses were destroyed in Gloucester to build a castle?

16

How many houses were destroyed in Lincoln to build a castle?

166

How many houses were destroyed in Norwich to build a castle?

98