Mediaeval castles

Description: The Normans built the first castles in England which were simply raised earthworks, with a wooden palisading, surrounded by a ditch. Stone eventually replaced wood. The keep was the central point and its layout and function is explained. Illustrates the methods by which castles were attacked and design improvements of the 12th and 13th Centuries. By the end of the 13th Century castles were built with double walls and nearly impregnable, but the need for them was lessening. The greater part of this program consists of animated drawings and diagrams.