Starter quiz
- Complete the sentence: ______ earls were granted special privileges to help them control and colonise the Marches.
- 'Marcher' ✓
- Complete the sentence: William I responded to threats in Wales by creating three new ______ to defend the Welsh Marches: Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford.
- 'earldoms' ✓
- Who attacked Shrewsbury in 1069?
- Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn
- Bleddyn ap Cynfyn ✓
- William FitzOsbern
- Eadric the Wild ✓
- Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
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- Which of the following were characteristics of the Marcher earldoms?
- They were bigger in size which made them easier to control
- They were smaller in size which made them easier to control ✓
- Marcher earls could create new towns, markets and churches ✓
- Marcher earls could not create new towns, markets and churches
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- Which of the following were powers given to the Marcher earls?
- They could join with other earldoms, without asking the king for permission
- They were allowed to keep the taxes they collected ✓
- They could rename the earldom to whatever they wanted
- They could build castles, without asking the king for permission ✓
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- Which of the following were actions Roger de Montgomery took as a Marcher earl?
- Established a stronghold at Rhuddlan
- Became a monk before he died ✓
- Established a new town called Montgomery ✓
- Built a castle to control a crossing point of the River Severn ✓
- Received tribute from the king of Gwynedd
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Exit quiz
- Which word describes an area of land controlled by a castle which supplied the castle with resources?
- 'castelry' ✓
- Which word describes settling land that already had people living there, and taking away control of it from its original owners?
- 'colonisation' ✓
- Complete the sentence: The Normans constructed more than 300 castles in Wales before 1215, with __________ built along the Welsh Marches.
- 100 ✓
- 150
- 200
- 250
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- Which of the following were the main benefits of castle-building for the Normans?
- Provided bases at which soldiers could be stationed to help defeat rebellions ✓
- Provided William with hundreds of houses in which he could stay if needed
- Served as a powerful visual reminder to the local people of who was in charge ✓
- Served as a powerful way to show off Norman architectural styles
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- Which castle was the beginning point of a chain of castles built along the north Wales coast by the end of the 11th century?
- Chepstow Castle
- Rhuddlan Castle ✓
- Cardiff Castle
- Deganwy Castle
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- How did castles in Norman Wales build economic links?
- Each castle hosted an annual festival which attracted visitors
- Local people had to pay to live in the area around the castle
- Networks of trade would spring up around the castles ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The Normans constructed more than 300 castles in Wales before 1215, with 100 built along the Welsh Marches.
- Norman castles provided security for Norman inhabitants and also symbolised Norman control.
- Normans used castles as a base for expansion further into Wales.
- Castles provided the security for Norman colonisation of Wales.
Common misconception
All Norman castles were built to a standard motte-and-bailey design.
In fact, although mottes and baileys were features of most Norman castles, how these were positioned could vary a lot, especially if they were built on the site of earlier Roman or Iron Age forts.
Keywords
Castelry - an area of land controlled by a castle which supplied the castle with resources
Colonisation - settling land that already had people living there, and taking away control of it from its original owners
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