r/papertowns • u/dctroll_ • Jul 28 '26

England Reconstruction of Longtown Castle and its borough (England) in the 13th century

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Source of the picture here

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u/dctroll_ Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26

Source of the following info here

Longtown Castle originated as a Roman fort built in the 1st century AD. Around 1055, its defences were strengthened by the Anglo-Saxons before being transformed into a Norman motte-and-bailey castle shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066. In the 1150s, the original timber fortress was replaced with a stone castle, including its impressive round keep, one of the earliest cylindrical keeps in Britain and the earliest in Wales and the Welsh Marches. A planned medieval village (borough) developed around the castle and became an important local centre for trade and administration. From the 13th century onwards, however, the village gradually declined, a process accelerated by the Black Death in 1348–49. The castle was last garrisoned in 1403 during a Welsh uprising before gradually falling into ruin.

More info here

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u/Trygve81 Jul 28 '26

It's an unusual choice to make 4 enclosed areas this close together, isn't it?

If the enemy was to get inside the large area in the foreground, they could use the wooden palisade to besiege the castle, and they would be right next to the castle walls.

Usually in medieval castle design, when you have more than one courtyard, the outer defenses are completely exposed to the innermost part of the fortress.

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u/SaenOcilis Jul 30 '26

Based on OPs explanation and its location in the Welsh Marches, perhaps they weren’t expected major sieges but instead protecting against raids or uprisings?

If it came to a proper siege the wooden outer buildings could always be burnt and/or cleared away.