Motte-and-bailey castle

Early motte-and-bailey castles used earth and timber, allowing relatively rapid construction. The motte was a raised mound carrying a tower; the bailey was an enclosed courtyard below, providing space for troops and supplies. The elevated tower offered a strong defensive position and visibly dominated its surroundings.

A motte-and-bailey castle joined a tower on a mound to a defended courtyard below it. The following illustration shows the arrangement of a typical example, not a particular surviving castle.