How did shell keep stone castles improve on the Motte and Bailey design?

As a compromise, a common solution was to replace the wooden palisade around the keep and the one surrounding the bailey with a stone wall. That’s how the so-called shell keep castles appeared. However, most often, the wooden palisade surrounding the bailey was also replaced with a stone wall.

What was the purpose of the stone keep castle?

Foremost for the castle’s defense was its keep, a fortified tower built within the castles, used as a refuge of last resort if the castle fell to an enemy. The first keeps were made of wood, and they emerged in Normandy and Anjou during the tenth century.

What are the disadvantages of stone keep castles?

Although they seemed impenetrable at first, attackers quickly realized the weaknesses of many stone keep castles.

• They were expensive to build and to maintain and so only the wealthiest lords could afford to build very secure stone castles.
• Stone castles were built on a square or rectangular plan.

What are the most important parts of a castle?

These are some of the key parts of a castle.

• The Keep. The keep was a strong tower located at the centre of a castle.
• Curtain Wall. The curtain wall was a defensive wall built to protect the bailey (see below) of a castle.
• The Bailey.
• Moat.
• Battlements.
• Drawbridge.
• Portcullis.
• Arrowslits.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a stone keep castle?

Stone keep castles were a lot bigger than motte and bailey castles and were able to hold more soldiers. Because of their vast size they were much harder to attack. However, they had two main weaknesses – there was nothing to be done if the enemy surrounded except remain in the castle.

What do you need to know about castle defences?

Tall gate towers meant that defenders could shoot down in safety at attacks below. The main gate or door to the castle was usually a thick, iron-studded wooden door, that was hard to break through. A spiked wooden or metal barrier, called portcullis, helped protect the doors from fire and battering.

When was the keep at Penafiel castle built?

Keep at Peñafiel Castle, built in the mid-15th century. The French model spread into Iberia in the second half of the century, where the most powerful nobles in Castile built a number of similar tall keeps, such as that at Peñafiel, taking advantage of the weakness of the Castilian Crown during the period.

How did Castle Builders make their castles difficult to attack?

Castle builders added many defensive features to make their castles difficult to attack. Many castles were built on high ground with clear views of the surrounding land. Moats. Attackers were easy to shoot whilst swimming or rowing across the moats filled with water.

Why was the keep important to Durham Castle?

At Durham Castle, contemporaries described how the keep arose from the “tumulus of rising earth” with a keep reaching “into thin air, strong within and without”, a “stalwart house…glittering with beauty in every part”. As well as having defensive value, keeps and mottes sent a powerful political message to the local population.