This electronic thesis or dissertation has been downloaded from Explore Bristol Research, http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk Author: Prior, Stuart Title: 'Winning strategies' : an archaeological study of Norman castles in the landscapes of Somerset, Monmouthshire & Co. Meath, 1066-1186 General rights Access to the thesis is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International Public License. A copy of this may be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode This license sets out your rights and the restrictions that apply to your access to the thesis so it is important you read this before proceeding. Take down policy Some pages of this thesis may have been removed for copyright restrictions prior to having it been deposited in Explore Bristol Research. However, if you have discovered material within the thesis that you consider to be unlawful e.g. breaches of copyright (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please contact [email protected] and include the following information in your message: •Your contact details •Bibliographic details for the item, including a URL •An outline nature of the complaint Your claim will be investigated and, where appropriate, the item in question will be removed from public view as soon as possible. "WINNING STRATEGIES ?I An Archaeological Study of Norman Castles in the Landscapes of Somerset, Monmouthshire & Co. Meath, 1066-1186 (Volume I of 2) by STUART PRIOR A thesis submitted to the Unversity of'Bristol in accordance with the requirements ofthe degree ot'PhD in the Faculty ot'Arts Department ot'Archaeology. Submitted July 2004. Word Count. 8 1.3 10 ABSTRACT Traditionally, architectural historians have studied castles as structural entities, concentrating upon their fabric, design and construction, in order to assesstheir defensive military potential, whilst military historians have examined their martial significance, function and role in medieval warfare. Recently, there has been a move away from military topics, castle studies now focusing upon political, social, economic, symbolic or aesthetic considerations. Despite many years of military castle studies and the recent shift in emphasishowever, the strategies,tactics and stratagemsthat underpinned castle warfare remain largely unexplored. This thesis utilises the techniques of landscape archaeology, in conjunction with information in historic military manuals and archaeological, historical, architectural, topographical, geological and documentary sources, to explore the strategic and tactical positioning of castles in the landscapesof Somerset,Monmouthshire and Co. Meath. The study outlines the 'strategic approach' to castles, arguing that it was not what was built, but where it was built that was the key to Norman success.Castles are placed into contextvia a study of contemporaryand later sources,and it is arguedthat aswarfare defined the Normans,politically, socially and-culturally, castlesmust be viewed from a predominantlymilitary perspective. Historic military manualsare examinedto establishstrategic and tactical criteria, againstwhich the positionsof castlesin the landscapecan be testedand understood.Castle positioning in the study areasis examinedin detail, andthe resultsintegrated into historic narratives.The conclusionsreached are, that in mostcases, tactical and strategicconsiderations ultimately dictatedwhere castleswere constructed,that very often these considerationsalso provided the main impetus.for castle construction,that the strategies,tactics and that in stratagemsemployed by the Normansmade them a force-majeurpar excellence,and order to European appreciatethe final conclusion it is necessaryto see the Normans as part of a wider phenomenonthat drew its inspirationfrom the RomanEmpire. rU V INIVERSITYIN OFBRISTOL (IL LIBLIBRARY DEDICATION &ACKNOWIýEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following people for their help, advice, support and encouragement throughout this project. From the University of Bristol, my supervisors, Prof. Mick Aston, Dr. Mark Horton and Dr. Michael Costen; and in addition, Dr. Paula Gardiner, Mark Comey, Dr. Dan Hicks, Phillip Rowe, Cecilia Smith, Olivia McClelland and Helen Delingpole. From the University of Exeter, Dr. Oliver Creighton, Dr. Bob Higham and Jon Freeman. From the University of Wales, Lampeter, Prof. David Austin. From University College Dublin, Dr. Tadhg O'Keeffe. From Queen's University, Belfast, Dr. Tom McNeill. From Yeovil College, Steve Burman. From the University of Gloucestershire, Dr. Paul Courtney. From the University of Nottingham, Dr. Philip Dixon. From the University of East Anglia, Norwich, Dr. Robert Liddiard. From the University of Durham, Prof. Matthew Johnson. And from the University of Oxford, Trevor Rowley. I owe a debt of gratitude for many of my Somerset references to David Bromwich of the Somerset Local Studies Library; for my Welsh references to Susan Hughes and Neil Maylan of GGAT; and for my Irish referencesto David Sweetmanand Celine Walsh of D6cas. I would also like to thank the staff of the various recordsoffices visited throughoutthe courseof this project. Specialthanks are also due to Dr. DuncanAnderson, Andrew Orgill andMatthew Bennett of The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst,and Maggie Magnussonof The Royal EngineersLibrary, Chatham,without whom it would havebeen virtually impossibleto write chapter3. I would also like to thank Charlie and Nancy Hollinrake, Frank and Caroline Thorne, Bruce Eaton, Keith Faxon, Bob Croft, Chris Webster, Richard Brunning, Steve Membury, Vince Russet, Bob Sydes, Peter Lcach, Paul Remfry, Neil Johnstone, George Eogan, Martin Fletcher, Ian and Rachact Elliott, Katherine Dray, Jane Ruffino, Bob Cherry and Pam and Neil Eddiford. Finally, I would like to extenda specialthank-you to a greatlymissed friend and comradeLuke Norrison (1974-1999); whose words of encouragementat the outset of this project continued to provide me with motivation and inspiration throughout, and whose sarcastic wit endured to keep me sane and focused. It is to Luke that this work is dedicated. 3 AUTHOR'S DECWATION I declare that the work in this thesis was carried out in accordancewith the Regulations of the University of Bristol. The work is original (and no part of this thesis has been submitted for any other degree) except where indicated by special reference in the text. Any views expressed in the thesis are those of the author and in no way represent those of the University of Bristol. 'Ihis thesis has not been presentedto any other University for examination either in the United Kingdom or overseas. Iý!: ! 7, Signed.. % Stuart Prior) Date 4 m CONTENTS Volume 1 Page 1. Title Page (Photo - Clonard Motte, Co. Meath, looking north). 2. Abstract 3. Dedication and Acknowledgments 4. Author's Declaration 5. Table of Contents Chapter I- Castles, arch itecturalists, landscapists,phenomenologists and strategists: An Introduction 8. Scope of Study 11. The Historiography of Castle Studies in Britain 14. Castles, architecturalists, landscapists,phenomenologists and strategists- an analogy 16. The Strategic Approach 17. On Strategy and Tactics 18. The Stratagemof Optimum Site Selection 23. Towards a Strategic Approach: The Methodology for Study 25. Problems and Difficulties of the Study 26. Historians vs. Archaeologists 27. Historical Archaeology Chapter 2- The Norman Achievemend? 30. The Norman Achievement! 31. The Norman Army 31. The Feudal System 32. The Castle 33. The Norman Achievement? 33. Military Prowess? 34. A Feudal System? 35. Military Fortifications? 35. A Tainted Source? 38. The Normans in Perspective 41. Norman Military Superiority 41. A System of Governance 42. The Castle Chapter 3- Military Considerations 45. The Sources 48. On the Strategic and Tactical Importance of Terrain 50. On the Importance of 'Defended Places' 51. On the Siting of 'Defended Places' - generally 51. Tactical Locations and Localised Considerations 52. Strategic Considerations Siting 53. On the of 'Defended Places' - specifically 53. On Higher Ground 54. On Mountains and Passes 56. On Supplies and Supply Routes 56. On Lines of Communication 57. On Rivers 59. On Potable Water Supplies 59. On Woodland and Marsh 5 60. On the Military Importance of Towns and Fortified Places 60. On the Distances Between Fortifications 61. On Medieval Artillery 62. The Criteria Established! Chapter 4- Norman Castles in Somerset 65. Towards the Consolidation of Norman Control 66. Somerset'sNorman Castles: applied methodology 67. On Castle Morphology 69. The Norman Invasion of Somerset:'how the west was won' 71. Robert's Campaign in the Southwest 73. Historic Somerset 74. The Lie of the Land 74. Geology and Castle Locations 75. Norman Castle Building Strategiesin Somerset 75. Castlesand Rivers 78. Castle Cary Castle and the River Cary 79. Downend.and the River Parrett 80. Castlesand Roads 80. Roman Roads 83. Saxon Herepa6s 84. Saxon Hundreds, Burhs, Towns and Norman Castles 87. Montacute Castle: A Symbol of Norman Dominion? 90. Norman Castle Building Strategies:A Schemefor Somerset Chapter 5- Norman & Anglo-Norman Castles in Monmouthshire 95. The Trouble with the Welsh 97. The Arrival of the Normans 98. The Lie of the Land 99. Historic Monmouthshire 100.Topography and Geology 10I. Morunouthshire's Norman Castles:applied methodology 102.Norman Castle Building