Medieval LifeTowns and

VillagesThe best site for a town or village

What if you want to establish a new town or village.

What things do you have to consider when choosing a site?

CastlesIt might be a good idea to position your new town or village near an existing castle. Castles are built fordefence and contain knights andsoldiers trained in weapons. This would give you goodProtection against raiders andinvaders. Merchants also trade goods withcastles and you might be able totrade with them as well. This will help to make your town richer and will attract more people tolive there.

High Ground

If there is not a castle nearby then it might be a good idea to position part of your new town or village on some high ground.

You would then have a good view of the surrounding area and be able to spot possible attackers in plenty of time to prepare your own defense.

Water

You think you have found the perfect spot, but is there a water supply nearby? Remember, there is no running water.

Water has to be fetched each day from a river or stream and your people do not want to have to walk miles for it.

A wide stream or river will also help to defend your town as attackers will have to find some way to cross it.

Stone You have found a site with high ground that is near a

stream. Your people will want to build themselves somewhere to live.

Stone is the best building material as it offers the best protection against both attack and the weather.

Having a good supply of stone will also allow you to build a wall around your town for added protection. Stone is also useful for throwing at your attackers and for making weapons.

Wood If there is not a lot of stone your people

can make themselves houses from wood. You also need wood to make handles for axes and spears.

But the most important thing about wood is that it is needed for making fires. A fire is essential for cooking, heating and for scaring off wild animals.

Food

You have positioned your new town or village near a stream so there should be a good supply of fish.

However, your people will not want to eat fish all the time and it is against the religion to eat fish at certain times of the year.

You can send hunters out into the forest to catch meat, but you need to grow crops and vegetables as well. It is therefore important that there is some land that can be used for farming.

Medieval Life

BEFORE CASTLES - HILL FORTRESSES

A huge hill-fort from 100 BC, used as protection for families and animals

BEFORE CASTLES? FORTS AND FORTRESSES

Chesters Roman Camp, Northumberland 2nd century AD.

THE FIRST CASTLES: MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLES

Helmsley Castle under construction, 1075 AD.

BUILDING A MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE:

The Normans had invented a way of building castles quickly. It was a bit like making sandcastles but on a much bigger scale.

After digging a ditch, they raised a great mound in the middle. This was called a “motte” which is French for “mound”.

On top of the mound they built a tower and surrounded it with a wooden fence. This was the strongest point of the castle.

Below the motte there was another enclosure surrounded by a fence. This was called the “bailey’. The Normans built motte and bailey castles all over England

A TYPICAL MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE

What were the advantages and disadvantages of this

type of castle?

MOTTE

DITCH

STOCKADEWATCH TOWERBAILEY

BRIDGE

DRAWBRIDGE

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Could be built quickly, in a matter of 4 to 7 days.

Cheap to build. Used local resources eg, peasants to do the work and trees for materials

Only needed a few soldiers to defend the castle.

A few soldiers in a motte and bailey could dominate a large area

Being made of wood of meant motte and baileys could be burnt down.

The timbers of motte and baileys would have to be replaced every ten years or so – due to rotting.

A castle could be surrounded and their food supply could be cut off.

REPLACEMENT OF WOOD BY STONE

TOTNES CASTLE, DEVON

MOAT AND PROJECTING CORNER TOWERS AT BEAUMARIS CASTLE