What were the first castles?

These early castles were mainly of motte and bailey type. The 'motte' was made up of a large mound of earth with a wooden tower on top, while the 'bailey' was a large ditch and bank enclosure which surrounded the motte. These timber castles were quite cheap and very quick to build.



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Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years.

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