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The
owner of a castle had more power than anyone save the ruling
King. After William the Conqueror defeated England's King
Harold in the 1066 Battle of Hastings, the new King William
set about building castles to maintain his authority. William
consolidated English lands and gave control to his most trusted
Norman lords, who built their castles as a means of controlling
the local population from further rebellion. In addition,
the castles served as a base for aggression against Scotland
and Wales. The disputed border with Wales, known as the Marches,
saw a high concentration of Norman Lords vying for control
of border territory with their Welsh neighbors. Original castles
were mere fortifications, called motte and bailey, consisting
of a steep mound of earth surrounded by a timber enclosure.
As stone construction replaced the motte and bailey fortresses,
the castle became the undisputed center of power.
Click
on the image or highlighted title to jump to each castle,
or use the Guide Dogs below.
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