Lesson plan
shell keep
A shell keep is a form of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure encircling the top of a motte. In English castle morphology, shell keeps are perceived as the successors to motte-and-bailey castles, with the wooden fence around the top of the motte replaced by a stone wall. Castle engineers during the Norman period did not trust the motte to support the enormous weight of a stone tower keep (though this was occasionally attempted, as at Duffus Castle, Moray). A common solution to this problem was to replace the palisade with a stone wall and then build wooden buildings backing onto the inside of the wall.
Article summary
A shell keep is a form of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure encircling the top of a motte. In English castle morphology, shell keeps are perceived as the successors to motte-and-bailey castles, with the wooden fence around the top of the motte replaced by a stone wall. Castle engineers during the Norman period did not trust the motte to support the enormous weight of a stone tower keep (though this was occasionally attempted, as at Duffus Castle, Moray). A common solution to this problem was to replace the palisade with a stone wall and then build wooden buildings backing onto the inside of the wall.
Key claims
No claims recorded.
Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
No sources recorded.
Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.