Early Architectural Concepts
Anglo-Saxon Period
During the Anglo-Saxon Period, few permanent architectural precedents were established, due to the relatively low number of permanent buildings during this era. But when William the Conqueror took over England and surrounding areas, one idea stood out. That was the notion of the motte and bailey castle.
During the Anglo-Saxon Period, few permanent architectural precedents were established, due to the relatively low number of permanent buildings during this era. But when William the Conqueror took over England and surrounding areas, one idea stood out. That was the notion of the motte and bailey castle.
"Mottes were mounds, some natural, some man made, surmounted by a tower. Around them was a ditch, sometimes filled with water. For man-made mottes the earth needed to build it was taken from the surrounding ditch to create another defensive feature. The closeness of connection between the mound and the ditch is reflected in their names: Motte and Moat come from the same medieval root.
The bailey was an outer enclosure, which was also defended by a fence and sometimes a ditch, providing a first, outer line of defence for the motte" [11]
Motte and bailey castles were effective as they were quick to build, easy to defend, and they helped reinforce Norse rule-- often crushing revolts. The feudal structure of medieval Europe was once again depicted, as the kings, queens, and lords of castles were quite literally put "higher up". There are several examples of Motte and Bailey Castles around England, one of which is the Cardiff Castle.
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The Renaissance
The Renaissance saw the establishment of several prominent designs. Although there were many features to the castles built during this time frame, few precedents were set. This might be in part due to the fact that this time frame focused more on the art and sculpture. Among these relatively few concepts, however, lie the idea of an exoskeleton.
An exoskeleton could mean any number of external support mechanisms that added both structure and aesthetics to a castle, cathedral, monastery, or other religious based architectural accomplishment. Some examples include the towering buttress, batteries of winglike fliers, and greek-influenced columns and pillars. [12]
The Renaissance saw the establishment of several prominent designs. Although there were many features to the castles built during this time frame, few precedents were set. This might be in part due to the fact that this time frame focused more on the art and sculpture. Among these relatively few concepts, however, lie the idea of an exoskeleton.
An exoskeleton could mean any number of external support mechanisms that added both structure and aesthetics to a castle, cathedral, monastery, or other religious based architectural accomplishment. Some examples include the towering buttress, batteries of winglike fliers, and greek-influenced columns and pillars. [12]
The Gothic Era
It makes sense that, as the Gothic Era was easily the Medieval period most influenced by religion, that the architecture and architectural concepts developed during that period would also feel the weight of religion heavily upon them. Gothic Era castles and cathedrals had many features as well as many innovative abstractions. The theory of religious allegories can be extracted from this Era.
A religious allegory describes any reference to Christianity that is hidden under the guise of the medieval architecture itself. The Latin Cross Plan is a good example of this: A castle was made in the shape of a lowercase "t" when looked at with an aerial perspective. This "t" doubled as the cross that Jesus was crucified on, therefore a religious metaphor. [13]
It makes sense that, as the Gothic Era was easily the Medieval period most influenced by religion, that the architecture and architectural concepts developed during that period would also feel the weight of religion heavily upon them. Gothic Era castles and cathedrals had many features as well as many innovative abstractions. The theory of religious allegories can be extracted from this Era.
A religious allegory describes any reference to Christianity that is hidden under the guise of the medieval architecture itself. The Latin Cross Plan is a good example of this: A castle was made in the shape of a lowercase "t" when looked at with an aerial perspective. This "t" doubled as the cross that Jesus was crucified on, therefore a religious metaphor. [13]
Each time frame-- The Anglo-Saxon Period, The Renaissance, and The Gothic Era contributed to the ideals that were held by Europeans in the medieval ages pertaining to architecture, some of which values are still held today. These innovative concepts opened the door for specific architectural aspects, and yielded powerful castles.