How did Castle design change over time?

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How did Castle design change over time?

• To consider the strengths and weaknesses of
  different types of Norman castles

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? starter activity
Table
When the Normans arrived the first castles they
built were wooden, motte bailey castles
(above.) Make a list of the advantages
disadvantages of this type of castle.
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Strengths

• Quick to build
• Resources easily available
• Provided living quarters for people animals
• Easily defendable motte, palisade, ditch,
  drawbridge
• Portable flat pack castles

Motte and bailey castles built by William the
Conqueror
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Weaknesses

• Wooden easily burned down, rot in wet weather
• Labour intensive
• Bailey difficult to defend

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? Your task

• Imagine you are an angry Anglo-Saxon rebel who
  has just led a failed attack on a motte and
  bailey castle. Describe the obstacles you faced
  on the way to the keep before you were finally
  defeated. Remember to include what you think were
  some of the weaknesses, too!

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Success criteria
Red Amber Green
Only mentions a few problems, e.g. ditch and wooden fence. Little or no technical vocabulary. Mentions a good range of problems facing the attacker as well as some weaknesses. Uses some technical words, e.g. palisade Full range of problems for attacker defender. Confident use of technical vocab. Good use of descriptive details.
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How easy was a stone keep castle to defend?
Make a list of all the advantages disadvantages
of building this type of this castle
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Strengths

• Impressive
• Safe base to rule local region
• Special features portcullis, murder holes,
  arrow slits, merlons crenels
• Difficult to attack thick walls, hoardings,
  drawbridge moat, round towers

Recognise this castle? Why is it so impressive?
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Weaknesses

• Expensive to produce
• Time-consuming to build
• Immovable
• Not impregnable

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? Your task

• Imagine you have been asked to produce a
  makeover show about a family living in a motte
  bailey castle who want to live somewhere a little
  more modern and easier to defend. Work in teams
  of 4/5 and show the changes the programme makes
  to their wooden castle to a state of the art
  stone keep.

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? Your task

• Give each student a card. Make one side of the
  classroom motte and bailey castles, and the other
  stone keeps. Students must move to the correct
  side of the room according to the card they have.

Card sort
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? Homework

• Produce an estate agents brochure for a medieval
  stone keep castle. Include the following
  information
• Dimensions
• Floor plans
• Types of rooms
• Defensive features