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Year 10
AQA

Castle building in Norman Wales

I can explain the importance of castle building for Normans in Wales.

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New
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Year 10
AQA

Castle building in Norman Wales

I can explain the importance of castle building for Normans in Wales.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Normans constructed more than 300 castles in Wales before 1215, with 100 built along the Welsh Marches.
  2. Norman castles provided security for Norman inhabitants and also symbolised Norman control.
  3. Normans used castles as a base for expansion further into Wales.
  4. Castles provided the security for Norman colonisation of Wales.

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

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.


To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: Castle building in Norman Wales, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The Welsh Government's historic environment service has some virtual tours of medieval castles in Wales, including Chepstow Castle. These could be used to expand pupils' answers to task A.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Complete the sentence: earls were granted special privileges to help them control and colonise the Marches.
Correct Answer: Marcher
Q2.
Complete the sentence: William I responded to threats in Wales by creating three new to defend the Welsh Marches: Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford.
Correct Answer: earldoms
Q3.
Who attacked Shrewsbury in 1069?
Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn
Correct answer: Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
William FitzOsbern
Correct answer: Eadric the Wild
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
Q4.
Which of the following were characteristics of the Marcher earldoms?
They were bigger in size which made them easier to control
Correct answer: They were smaller in size which made them easier to control
Correct answer: Marcher earls could create new towns, markets and churches
Marcher earls could not create new towns, markets and churches
Q5.
Which of the following were powers given to the Marcher earls?
They could join with other earldoms, without asking the king for permission
Correct answer: They were allowed to keep the taxes they collected
They could rename the earldom to whatever they wanted
Correct answer: They could build castles, without asking the king for permission
Q6.
Which of the following were actions Roger de Montgomery took as a Marcher earl?
Established a stronghold at Rhuddlan
Correct answer: Became a monk before he died
Correct answer: Established a new town called Montgomery
Correct answer: Built a castle to control a crossing point of the River Severn
Received tribute from the king of Gwynedd

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes an area of land controlled by a castle which supplied the castle with resources?
Correct Answer: castelry
Q2.
Which word describes settling land that already had people living there, and taking away control of it from its original owners?
Correct Answer: colonisation
Q3.
Complete the sentence: The Normans constructed more than 300 castles in Wales before 1215, with __________ built along the Welsh Marches.
Correct answer: 100
150
200
250
Q4.
Which of the following were the main benefits of castle-building for the Normans?
Correct answer: 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
Correct answer: 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
Q5.
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
Correct answer: Rhuddlan Castle
Cardiff Castle
Deganwy Castle
Q6.
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
Correct answer: Networks of trade would spring up around the castles

Additional material

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