. Explain why Hedingham Castle was built in this location and style

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Rachel Hooper        History Coursework        10G

1. Explain why Hedingham Castle was built in this location and style.

Hedingham Castle was effective as a defensive structure for many reasons that were clearly taken into account when being built, and its location was a vital aspect to be considered whence doing this.

        Hedingham Castle was erected on a high lying area of land. This gave the inhabitants a great advantage. This made the residents an easy view of the surrounding area, and it would have been quite problematic for any attackers to approach the castle unseen. This put the defenders one step ahead of the invaders, which was crucial in such an important time. I could see this when visiting the castle and going to the highest authorized room for tourists. The whole of the surrounding area was visible from the windows.

        The castle at Hedingham was the only one in the surrounding area. This was quite an effective defensive mechanism. The castle would have therefore seemed far more intimidating to anyone entering the area in which it is located. This aspect of the castle is designed to scare away any potential attackers or to frighten them further if they do attack.

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        The location of the castle in the country is excellent in defending England and the monarchy. It can be found in Essex, which is just north of the Thames, the largest river in the country.  Because of its size and location in England many foreign attackers may decide to enter the country via the Thames; being close to the river meant that attackers entering England via the Thames and heading north were likely to pass Hedingham Castle. Consequently, Hedingham could play a great part in defending Britain from international invasions.

        Also, the Thames was, and continues to be, a major ...

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