12 replies to this topic

[guppygiver]

I am trying to complete my history coursework on a castle local to me (Portchester castle). I have done three quarters of the coursework which is researching who occupied the castle over the the history of it.
The part i am puzzled on is the main question of the coursework which is "Explain how far the history of Portchester Castle fits in with the history of castle building elsewhere in England?". I have looked on the internet and found nothing that could help me and the other study resources i have are not of much help to me either.
Please can i have some help and guidence of where to look?
Thank you.

[MrJohnDClare]

This is the bit that requires you to show that you know something generally about the development of castles, and then to compare that (step by step) to the development of Portchester, saying where Portchester fits the model, and where its development was different.

The first castles in Britain were built by the Romans (so Portchester fits that!)
Then Wm the Conq built a whole load of motte and bailey (was there a motte and bailey originally on the Portchester site?)
But soon after, in the 11th century, the Normans began building strong stone keeps with uge walls (Portchester fits).
Later, lords added baileys (= Portchester) with outbuildings (=Portchester) and other defences such as a barbican (?).
The last and greatest castles in Britain, however, were concentric (a la Beaumaris) which is NOT like Portchester.

As the age of castles came to a close, however, lords built new, more comfortable lodgings nearby and moved into them, and castles either fell to pieces, or were used a stuff like prisons (= Portchester).

This History of Castles specifically refers to Portchester.
This is a simple site about the development of castles, this is a bit more detailed.

You should be easily able to relate your knowledge about Portchester at different times to what SHOULD have been there and see where Portchester fitted (or did not fit) what was happening elsewhere in Britain.

If this doesn't help, get back to us.

[guppygiver]

Thank you for your recent help on my portchester castle coursework.
Your infomation and guidence was a massive help to my it and i now fully understand what i have to do.
Thank you again.

[Cieran]

Question: During the Medieval Period why was it important for nobles and rulers to build Castles?

Ok My teacher has gave me a checklist and i have no idea what to write here is a couple of things from my checklist

• Pre-Norman Fortifications >>> Maiden Castle, Roman Forts and Brochs
  
• Motte and Bailey
  
• Stone Keep Castles
  
• Edward I + Wales <<< WHAT SHALL I WRITE?
  
• Feudal System
  
• Norman Invasion
  
• attacking a Castle
  
• defending a castle
  
• concentrick castles
  
• shell keep castles
  
• life in a castle
  
• Castles and cannons

^^ Well thats most of them but i have no idea what to write is it all based on that Questions ?

and is that the Right question?

[MrJohnDClare]

Before we start, please don't forget to say please - everybody does on this forum.


I am very puzzled - is this the first question as part of a School History project GCSE course - the investigation of an historical site element?
Or are you still in Key Stage 3 and this is a school project?


Will this get you going:

1. When William first invaded, the Norman whom he put in charge of large areas of England needed to proetct themselves from the (much more numerous) Anglo-Saxon population, whom they needed to keep in awe and subjection = motte and bailey castles, quickly thrown up.

2. Later as the Middle Ages progressed, barons strengthened their castles with stome walls and built massive keeps, to protect themselves against other barons mainly, but also to assert their dominace over their peasants.

3. King Edward I built castles such as Bamburgh and the concentric castles in Wales to control the Welsh and the Scots.

4. Later castles - such as Hampton Court - were built as ostentatious displays of wealth.

Beyond this, you will have to do your own research. Why not try:

• Doing a search for 'Castles' on this forum
  
• There are a number of webpages about castles on the History Learning Site
  
• Wikipedia

[Cieran]

Thanks that does help on what i need to search on Thanks

Btw its our first piece of Course work in year 10 part of out GCSE final grade

[Cieran]

Oh yes btw is it Possible u could give me some links on Pre-Normans! Plz

[MrJohnDClare]

Ah - I understand!

Remember the mark-getters:
1. Arrange your answer as a series of points.
2. Provide evence which shows that the point you just made is tru in fact.
3. Explain how the point you just made answers the question - not just one way/explanation, but in multiple ways/pathways
4. Mention historians' names and ideas/ quote them where you can.
5. Link your point to other points you are making, and particularly to the next pagaraph.
6. Use key argument/analysis connectives such as 'therefore, 'thus', 'consequently', 'as a result', 'however', 'although', 'in addition' etc.

[Cieran]

Ok, but im wondering what shall i write in pre-normans

what people was it?

Romans
Iron age

anyone else i can mension?

[MrJohnDClare]

Oh yes btw is it Possible u could give me some links on Pre-Normans! Plz

Try
http://www.britainex..._ages_index.htm
and http://www.britannia...ory/david1.html

Don't write too mch about this stuff - it's just a short intro to the REAL stuff.

[hannahhh]

Hello i have to do a project called castle development and i need the history of the Barbican at Portchester Castle do you know any good websites that i could use to get informations from?
Thanks

[MrJohnDClare]

I have not found a reference to a structure called 'the Barbican' at Portchester on the web - there appears to have been so specific 'Barbican'.
'A barbican', however, is just any structure built to help defend a gate, so there were 'barbicans' at Portchester.

There are two main gates in the outer wall at portchester - the Landgate and the Watergate. These gates were built with the original Roman castle - originally there were four gates.
In late saxon/earlymedieval times, the Landgate and the Watergate were narrowed, and the two other gates stopped up.
The watergate seems to have been given some kind of a barbican:

Fearing a French invasion, Edward II spent £1000 on the castle 1320-1325, including extending the outer gatehouses.

Crossing the moat between the outer and inner bailey, there is another gatehouse, with drawbridge pits. This has been built in four phases (early 12th century, early 14th century, 1380s, 17th century) - so i suppose you could say it has three barbicans.
You can tell the different phases because they used different stone and brickwork) - you can see the phases in this photo:



Weblinks you might like to chase:
http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/castles/portchester%20castle.htm
http://www.portchestercastle.co.uk/ (click on the 'Fortifications' tab for the Landgate and Watergate, and on the 'Inner Bailey' tab for the Gatehouse)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portchester_Castle
http://www.tak-coo.co.uk/Portchester%20Castle/index.htm

[hannahhh]

Thank you very much for this, i found out today that it is also known as the gatehouse, so now can find extra information on the websites you have given me. Thanks again
Hannah