How does the feature of Ludlow Castle to explain the different motives behind the Norman design of Ludlow Castle?

enemy attack. The moat, which is shallower than what it was before is only on the weakest side (south-east).  The moat is not filled with water because the moat’s soil has porous rock, which does not allow water to be held. The moat would have been filled with sharp objects e.g. broken swords, nettles etc. The moat was built so that the enemies would only be able take the small entrance. The outer bailey is the land outside the inner-ward. This outer bailey is one of the largest in Britain; it was mainly used for mustering troops. The wall walks and the flanking towers also played a big role in the defensive motive. There are three flanking which were high so that they could see the enemy coming. These towers would have had a watch out guard to make sure that the enemies were seen as soon as possible.  The wall walks would have had soldiers firing weapons down at the enemy.  The wall walks would have had cremellations in between the cremillations were shutters which the castle soldiers could have closed to block out enemy fire. The keep, which is a square shell keep and has a changed entrance.  The original entrance was changed for safety reasons; it was located at the front of the keep.  The entrance was later changed to a smaller entrance on the east side of the keep. The reason why the entrance was made smaller is because in large entrances the enemy can charge in. We know that the entrances were changed because we can still we the markings on the walls and the old bridge remains, which go over the moat.  The new bridge was made out of stone unlike the old one which was mostly wood, and there was a drawbridge so is could have been closed when the enemy was seen. The keep has very few Norman windows because windows would make it easier for the enemy invade the castle. The arrow looms on the keep is narrow on the outside so enemies would find it hard to fire in. The buttress was later added to stop enemies from mining. The sally port was built on the ground floor by the side passage.  There were machicolation, what they were used for is unknown. Historians say that they could have been used as food holes to throw down to prisoners or could have been a defensive feature.  It could have been used as a defensive feature because if the enemy had entered the castle the defending soldiers would be able to pour boiling liquid on them.  A clever defensive feature was the spiral staircase, which was extremely small so that the enemy could not charge side-by-side going up in the castle. There was a pole that could have been swung on the enemies right to knock most of the enemies’ swords out of their hands. The inner bailey was a high security area because the well and great tower court was there.  The inner bailey had two wall walks instead of one.  The reason the well was highly secured is because it was the only water supply for the castle and the enemy would sometime try to launch a dead animal in the well. The castle owners and architects in the Norman times were always thinking of defence the level building surface and the steep slopes to the north and west made this a fine defensive position. The rivers Teme and Corve gave further protection.         Although the Castle owners were thinking of defence they also used the castle as a social motive. There were many things that the Barons had used to show that they were of a high position. The Barons on the border were of a very high status and so would the Barons family.  Blind arcades showed high status of the baron because architecture was a luxury.  The blind arcades were arcades all along the corridors.  Normal Barons would not have had blind arcades.  Usually the Barons would sleep in the great halls with the soldiers but the high status barons had a solar. The solar is a private bedroom; it is on the first floor next to the great hall.  This shows the garrison that the king is higher up then them. The solar would also impress visitors.  The gardrobe was an unusual room to have in the Norman times.  The gardrobe was a toilet for the baron’s comfort, privacy and to impress visitors. This was also another feature that would show the garrison and visitors the high status of the barons.         The Normans were very religious people and believed that the Norman Conquest would not have worked without the help of God. This leads to a Religious motive to the castle.  People were much more religious then, then what they are now.  God was at the top of the feudal system. Ludlow castle has a chapel. The chapel was round; the design was copied from the Muslims. The chapel name is St. Mary Madgelane.  The carving and the pillars were built in 1099.  Blind arcade were everywhere to show importance of the chapel and there were large windows to let the light in.  There are crenellations on top of the chapel but we don’t know if they were a defensive feature just to fit in with the rest of the castle.         The site of Ludlow Castle is different now then what it was in the Norman times. Now there is an old palace built in the castle area but the Norman remains of the castle still stand. The keep of the castle The arched Norman style windows were replaced by large square ones in Tudor times.   Inside View of The Keep Chapel