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Bicton Castle
Bicton Castle was a motte and bailey dating from the 11th or 12th century in the hamlet of Bicton, South Shropshire, Bicton, southwest Shropshire, England. Only the ditch and outer bank remain as other parts have been dug away during gravel extraction. The short River Unk, Shropshire, River Unk runs past it. Bicton Castle is situated 1.9 kilometer upstream of the larger Clun Castle, in Clun. It is thought to have been held by a minor knight who held the local land in return for duties at Clun Castle. Its prime function was probably as a manorial centre for the flat area of surrounding farmland. Construction Bicton Castle was built by changing a low glacial mount. Although now oval in shape, the motte was likely to have been circular at first, with a diameter of 30 metres. At some point after it was abandoned, the ground was quarried for gravel. Its present-day height is 2.2 metres. A small bailey, 14 by 25 metres, was made by changing the shape of the southern part of the glacia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motte And Bailey
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or Bailey (castle), bailey, surrounded by a protective Rampart (fortification), ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to build with unskilled labour, but still militarily formidable, these castles were built across northern Europe from the 10th century onwards, spreading from Normandy and County of Anjou, Anjou in France, into the Holy Roman Empire in the 11th century. The Normans introduced the design into England and Wales. Motte-and-bailey castles were adopted in Scotland, Ireland, the Low Countries and Denmark in the 12th and 13th centuries. Windsor Castle, in England, is an example of a motte-and-bailey castle. By the end of the 13th century, the design was largely superseded by alternative forms of fortification, but the earthworks remain a prominent feature in many countries. Architecture Structures A mott ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
