Pevensey Castle Motte And Bailey

This naturally defensible site was first fortified by the romans and was most famously the place where the norman conquest of england began when william the conqueror landed there on 28th september 1066.

Pevensey castle motte and bailey. Projecting out in what was once a peninsula of the sussex coast pevensey castle is an impressive ruin which stands on high ground. Pevensey castle was constructed by the romans on a spur of sand and clay that stands about 10 metres 33 ft above sea level. I hope it helps. Upon remembering pevensey castle as the first fortification built by william the conqueror nearly 1 000 years ago its awe inspiring history becomes evident.

The bailey has just been described above. When it was started it was on a tongue of land that was enclosed on three sides by the sea. This is a short video explaining what a motte and bailey is. These early constructions another was built at hastings are called motte and bailey castles.

The motte is a keep at the top of the hill. William would not recognize the castle today as it was simply a wooden motte and bailey when he erected it in 1066. Pevensey castle s impressive ruins stand on what was once a peninsula projecting from the sussex coast. Normans building a motte and bailey castle at pevensey as illustrated in the bayeaux tapestry.

History of pevensey castle. It also looks at some good local examples. Pevensey castle is a great family day out in east sussex. The type of castle called motte and bailey castle was named after the bailey and motte inside it.

Why they were important and what were their strengths and weaknesses. The english first built some motte and bailey castles during the reign of edward the confessor but there were very few of them they were situated at herefordshire the welsh border obviously for protection against the welsh. They were simple to make and relatively easy to defend. At low tide it was a marshy estuary.

With a history stretching back over 16 centuries pevensey castle chronicles more graphically than any other fortress the story of britain s south coast defences. Anderida is the largest of the roman saxon shore forts and was built in ad290s. In roman times this spur was a peninsula that projected into a tidal lagoon and marshes making it a strong natural defensive position. This naturally defensible site first fortified by the romans was most famously the place where the norman conquest of england began when william the conqueror landed there on 28 september 1066.