What were castles used for?
Q: What were castles used for?
A: Castles were defensive homes for powerful people. They provided a base for the lord of the castle to control the surrounding area and govern their land.
Q: What materials were castles made from?
A: Castles could be made from wood, stone, or brick.
Q: When did castles first appear in England and Wales?
A: Castles first appeared in England and Wales when they were used by the invading Normans led by Duke William in 1066.
Q: Why were castles designed to be imposing?
A: Castles were designed to be imposing so that their massive defenses would deter attackers and show the owner's strength. A few troops in a castle could defend themselves against a much larger army.
Q: How did attackers try to take over a castle?
A: The most common method for taking a castle was either besieging it or storming it. However, both methods sometimes failed.
Q: How long had some castles been used for?
A: Some castles had been used for hundreds of years.