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Motte and Bailey, County Down, is a twelfth-century defensive earthwork comprising a raised mound, or motte, accompanied by an attached or adjacent bailey, or enclosed courtyard. This monument type represents the characteristic military architecture of the Norman settlement period in Ireland, when such fortifications were rapidly constructed to establish control over newly conquered territories. The site exemplifies the practical engineering approach favoured by Norman lords, who used these earth-and-timber structures before investing in more elaborate stone castles. The survival of the earthwork demonstrates the durability of this construction method and provides evidence for the extent and character of Norman military occupation in County Down during the medieval period.
Motte & bailey is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8048. View the official record →
Motte and Bailey, County Down, is a twelfth-century defensive earthwork comprising a raised mound, or motte, accompanied by an attached or adjacent bailey, or enclosed courtyard. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8048.
Motte & bailey dates from the c12th period, and is classified as a motte & bailey. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Motte & bailey is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 8048.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Lismahon. raised rath reused as motte (3 km), Motte (3.3 km), St. patrick's well, parkaneety graveyard, killyglinne. church, graveyard & holy well (4.6 km).
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Research the area around Motte & bailey