Landscape Detective

The arrival of the Normans in 1066 brought the castle. In the 11th century, most of these were of Motte and Bailey construction. The Motte is a circular mound and the Bailey is the outer enclosure surrounded by a wooden palisade and ditch. The large number of Norman castles in Shropshire show how keen the Normans were to exert their control. These castles were used to suppress any uprising and to dominate the surrounding countryside. The Saxon peasants press-ganged into construction would have had little opportunity to rebel. At first these castles were wooden structures, but later they were replaced with stone.

This view is of Clun Castle motte with the town in the background. A natural spur in the bend of the river provided an ideal location for a fortification. The spur has been modified to form a huge oval motte with a deep ditch dividing it into two separate baileys.

This is also Clun Castle seen from the Meadows, showing the Great Tower and the motte. The castle was built shortly after the Conquest in 1066 by Robert de Say and had a short but active life being attacked by the Welsh in 1195-6 and later besieged by King John in 1216.