This KS3 History quiz takes a further look at medieval castles. Following the Norman invasion, many of the Saxons who lived in England were not happy. They organised into small armies and rebelled against the invaders. One rebellion succeeded in destroying York castle, killing the soldiers who were living there. William the Conqueror was annoyed about that, so he sent his army to the north of England to destroy crops, buildings and to kill as many people as they could. He then took lands from English nobles and gave them to his own knights and nobles who were instructed to build a castle. That is one reason there are so many medieval castles in England.
The early motte and bailey castles were replaced by more solid stone structures. The central wooden building was replaced by a fortified stone tower called the keep and the palisade was replaced by a high and very solid stone wall.
[readmore]They were very often square in shape with features like a moat and
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Some of it was quarried and some was recycled from older buildings
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It is the most highly fortified section of a medieval castle
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Crenellations refers to the notches in the battlements
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These could be from the king or queen's troops or the nobleman's own private army
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Moats usually contained water as extra defence
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Edward built them to help him conquer Wales
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Dover Castle in Kent is a good example
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Right-handed defenders would have an advantage
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It hurled large rocks and other missiles
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These are openings in the floor of higher parts of the castle that enable the defenders to drop things like rocks and boiling oil vertically down onto anyone attacking the castle. They are more common in French-built castles and are often built above the main gate
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