Hello, thank you for joining me for another Oak Academy history lesson.

My name is Mrs. Knox, and today I'll be helping you through all of the resources and the materials that you need to be successful with this lesson.

So, let's begin.

The lesson today is part of a unit of work on Norman England, which focuses on how ordinary people were affected by the Norman Conquest.

Today's lesson will focus on the built environment of Norman England, and by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to describe how the Normans introduced changes to the built environment.

Now, there are several key terms we'll use in the lesson today, so let's have a look at those now.

The first term we'll come across in the lesson is the term built environment.

By built environment, we mean the landscape created by buildings and infrastructure like roads and bridges.

We'll also use the term Romanesque.

Romanesque is an architectural style based on features of ancient Roman buildings.

We'll also use the word architecture, which refers to the design and the construction of buildings.

And finally, we'll use the word order.

By order, we refer to a group of individuals who lived under a religious rule dedicating themselves to a specific way of life.

Now, today's lesson is in three parts, so we'll get started now with part one, which will focus on Norman architecture.

One of the biggest changes that followed the Norman Conquest of England was the change to the built environment.

The Norman's loved an architectural style now known as Romanesque, which look back to the features of ancient Roman architecture and symbolised strength and power.

As a result, the Normans made use of it in many of their buildings, particularly in their religious building projects as you can see in this Norman church design.

Romanesque architecture included huge stone columns and rounded arches.

Arches were often arranged into arcades, which was a row of arches with another row on top of them called the Triforium, and then a third arcade called the Clerestory on top of that.

They created an attractive pattern, and sometimes the arches in the top arcade were used for windows.

Norman architects had to be careful though about where they positioned windows.

Too many windows, or windows too low down the walls, would mean that a high wall would not be able to support the weight above it.

To keep walls strong but still looking Romanesque, many Norman buildings feature blind arcading, which is where a pattern of pillars and arches have no windows at all.

The Norman's Romanesque arches over doors and windows were often decorated, as where their pillars and capitals; that's the top parts of pillars.

The Normans were very fond of using Chevron patterns.

One area that often featured elaborate designs was the tympanum, which is when an arch surrounds a smaller door.

Sometimes Norman ambitions for tall buildings went too far.

The bell tower at Old Sarum fell down only five days after the new cathedral was opened in 1092.

Norman church towers also fell down at Abingdon, Ely, Eastham, Gloucester, Lincoln, Winchester and Worcester.

The problem was usually the foundations not being dug deep enough, though there is often evidence of some shoddy work by English builders.

Okay, it is time now to have a check of your understanding so far.

Let's have a go at this question.

What was the name of the style of architecture loved by the Normans? Was it A, Italianate B, Romanesque or C, Greek Revival? Press pause and when you're ready for the answer, press play.

That's right.

You should have said the correct answer was B.

The style of architecture loved by the Normans, was Romanesque.

Here's another check of your understanding.

Have a go at this true or false question.

Romanesque architecture was light and delicate.

Is that true or false? Press pause and when you're ready to hear the answer, press play.

You should have said the correct answer was false.

Why is the answer false? Is it because the style was developed in France and the Normans had used it extensively in religious buildings in Normandy? Or is it because the style featured massive stone columns and rounded arches; it symbolised strength and power.

Press pause and then press play to hear the answer.

Well done if you said the correct answer was B, the style featured massive stone columns and rounded arches, it symbolised strength and power.

Okay, it's now time to put everything you've learned in this section into practise by answering this question.

I'd like you to describe three features of Norman architecture.

Try to include the following terms in your answer: arcades, chevron and Romanesque.

Press pause and then when you're ready to see what you could have written, press play.

Let's see how you got on.

One feature of Norman architecture was the use of arcades.

This was where rows of arches were placed on top of each other with some of them used for windows.

It created an attractive pattern, although windows were kept small and high up so that the high walls were strong enough to stay up.

A second feature of Norman architecture was the use of patterns to decorate doorways and arches, in particular the use of the Chevron pattern.

And finally, a third feature was the use of huge stone columns, a key feature of the Norman's Romanesque style that looked back to ancient Roman architecture and symbolise strength and power.

Let's move on now to the second section of our lesson today.

In this section, we'll be focusing on castles.

Castles changed the landscape of Norman England.

Although four castles had been built in the Welsh marches before 1066 on the orders of Edward the Confessor's Norman nephew, Ralph of Mont, most Anglo-Saxons had never seen one before.

The Norman Chronicler Orderic Vitalis stated that the fortifications known as castles by the Normans were scarcely known in the English provinces.

So the English, in spite of their courage and love of fighting, could only put up a weak resistance to their enemies.

The early Norman castles were motte-and-bailey constructions with fortifications built of wood and earth, rather than stone.

A wooden tower stood on top of the earthen motte and a fence of wooden stakes surrounded the bailey.

The bailey had stables to keep horses, a forge where a blacksmith could repair weapons and armour and make horseshoes, a chapel, and accommodation for the castle's garrison; which was a group of troops stationed in a fortress or town to defend it.

Time now for a check of your understanding.

Let's have a go answering this question.

Which of these was most likely to be found in the bailey of a motte-and-bailey castle? Was it A, a fortified wooden watchtower.

B, stables, blacksmiths, and soldiers' accommodation.

Or C, fields and gardens for the inhabitants of nearby towns? Press pause and then when you're ready to hear the answer, press play.

You should have said the correct answer was B, stables, blacksmiths, and soldiers' accommodation was found in the bailey of a motte-and-bailey castle.

Stone keeps and walls began to replace the wooden buildings and fortifications in the 12th century, though some castles were built with stone earlier than that.

For instance, in Wales, William Fiss Osborne's castle at Chepstow featured a huge stone hall and stone fortifications by 1071.

Similarly, Exeter Castle had a stone keep from 1068, and the white tower in London was built in stone from 1078.

The white tower also contained a chapel constructed in classic Romanesque style using cast stone imported from Normandy.

These buildings used expertise from Normandy.

The architect of the White Tower, for example, was a monk from Beck called Gundulf.

Other Norman architects were inspired by castles back home.

The stone keep at Norwich Castle was based on a castle at Valaise in Normandy.

Here's another check now of your understanding.

What material was used by the Normans to rebuild stronger castles in the 12th century? Was it A, timber, B, steel, or C, stone? Press pause and when you've got your answer, press play.

That's right, you should have said the correct answer was C.

The Normans used stone to make stronger castles in the 12th century.

Hundreds of castles were built across England and when they were built in towns, it often caused huge destruction.

For instance, 160 houses were destroyed to make space for the castle at Lincoln and 98 were cleared in Norwich, along with two churches.

Local people were conscripted into digging the ditches and piling up the earth for the motte.

With enough people, the motte and bailey could be constructed very rapidly.

Castles were designed for defence for many Anglo-Saxon rebellions or invasion by foreign forces, but they were also a very visible sign to the Anglo-Saxons that the Normans were in control and ready to put down any resistance with overwhelming force.

They also impressed the Anglo-Saxons and showed them how wealthy and powerful William the Conqueror was.

One story about the white tower is that Londoners in the 1080s said that stones of the castle walls were held together by blood, possibly because the Norman's ground up red Roman bricks to mix into the mortar.

This legend gives some idea of how local people may have viewed these terrifying new buildings.

Here's another quick check of your understanding.

What happened when the Normans built a castle in Lincoln? Press pause and then press play to see the answer.

160 houses were destroyed to make way for the castle at Lincoln.

Let's now apply your knowledge to this final question in this section.

I'd like you to list three reasons why castle building was important to the Normans in England.

Press pause to complete your answer, and then press play to see what you could have written.

Let's have a look at how you got on now.

Your list could have included some of the following points: Castles offered protections for the Normans against Anglo-Saxon rebellions and foreign invaders.

Castles were a visible reminder to the Anglo-Saxons that the Normans had conquered England and were in power.

Castles reminded everyone that any opposition to Norman control would be quickly and violently suppressed.

And, Castle showed everyone how powerful and wealthy William the Conqueror was.

We're now ready to move on to the final section of today's lesson.

In this section, we'll focus on religious buildings.

Within 30 years of the Norman Conquest, most church buildings in England were being rebuilt by the Normans.

Anglo-Saxon churches, often built of wood, were rebuilt in stone in Romanesque style, and often on a much larger scale.

There were several reasons for this revolution in the religious built environment.

Firstly, many Norman landholders were very rich as a result of the wealth they were extracting from England, and they showed off their wealth by building new churches, monasteries and cathedrals.

Normans were also very worried about going to hell when they died, and they believed that putting money into religious buildings would help to atone for the blood that they had spilt in conquering and controlling England.

Another reason was that England was seen as undeveloped in religious terms, and new church buildings were part of the reform of the church that the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc, led from 1070 onwards.

And undoubtedly, the Normans also welcomed the awe inspiring impact of huge and monumental churches and cathedrals on the English landscape.

Like castles, these buildings showed that the Normans were here to stay and suggested that they had God on their side.

Time now for another check of your understanding.

I'd like you to answer this true or false question.

The Normans made significant changes to religious buildings in England.

Press pause and then press play to hear the answer.

You should have said the correct answer was true, but why is the answer true? Is it because within 30 years of the Norman Conquest, most religious buildings were being rebuilt in Romanesque style, or B, although cathedrals were almost all rebuilt, most churches and monasteries were not changed? Press pause and then press play to hear the correct justification.

Well done if you said the correct justification is A.

Within 30 years of the Norman Conquest, most religious buildings were being rebuilt in the Romanesque style.

The Norman's religious reforms had a major focus on monastic life, and many new abbeys and monasteries were also constructed.

Additionally, their church reforms promoted the Benedictine Order, whose monks lived a strictly religious life.

New monasteries needed to be designed for daily religious routines, as well as administration of the monastic estate.

Monasteries had a large staff of servants who needed living and working areas too.

Some monastic communities were visited by pilgrims who came to pray at the tomb of a saint.

In these cases, the built environment needed to be further adapted to accommodate large numbers of visitors.

Here's another check of your understanding.

Which order of monks was promoted by Norman reforms and monastery building in England after the conquest? Was it A, the Benedictines? B, the Carthusians? Or C, the Norbertines? Press pause and then press play to hear the correct answer.

You should have said the correct answer was A, the Benedictines, was the order of monks promoted by the Normans.

Now it's time to put your knowledge into practise again.

I'd like you to provide two examples to support Izzy's statements.

Let's have a look at Izzy's statement now.

Izzy says, "The religious reforms of the Normans greatly changed the built environment of Norman England." Press pause to think of two examples, and then press play to see what you might have written.

Welcome back.

Let's have a look at some of the examples you could have said.

The Normans saw the Anglo-Saxon Church as undeveloped, and their reforms included new church buildings.

The reforms promoted the Benedictine Order, and so monasteries were built or adapted to reflect this.

And finally, the Normans religious reforms had a major focus on monastic life, and so many new abbeys and monasteries were constructed.

Finally, I'd like you to work with a partner and discuss whether you believe the changes to religious buildings were mainly for religious reasons, or mainly to promote Norman power.

Press pause to have your discussion and then press play to hear what you might have discussed.

Here are some of the things you might have said.

The Normans made changes to their religious buildings as they wanted to promote their power to the Anglo-Saxons.

For instance, the Romanesque style of architecture with its arches, columns and Chevron patterns was designed to impress the local people.

The religious buildings symbolised the power and strength of the Normans and the fact that they were in charge.

Alternatively, you might have said the Normans made changes to religious buildings for religious reasons, as they were very afraid of going to hell when they died and wanted to show their devotion to God.

Additionally, they believed that putting money into religious buildings would help atone for the blood they had spilt in conquering and controlling England.

And finally, the monasteries they set up also show the importance they placed on religion 'cause they wanted monks to closely follow the rules of the Benedictine Order.

We've now reached the end of today's lesson, so let's have a look at a quick summary of what you should have learned today.

There were significant changes to the built-in environment in England following the Norman Conquest.

The Normans favoured the Romanesque style for their architecture, which featured rounded arches and stone columns.

Within 30 years of the conquest, most church buildings in England were being rebuilt in this style.

They also rebuilt motte-and-bailey castles with stone from the 12th century onwards.

And reasons for the changes to the built environment included religious reforms, Norman wealth and the Norman's need to demonstrate their power and control over England.

Thanks very much for all of your hard work in our lesson today.

I hope that you feel that you've met your learning objective, and I look forward to you joining me in a future lesson.