A Castle Fit For A King

In the first of a new series of posts on the history of Norwich Castle, we explore how the Castle was built – and why!

In 1066 the Normans successfully invaded England under William the Conqueror’s rule. To exert their newfound power and dominance, and to defend themselves against rebellion as they continued to advance across the country, they began to build castles, and lots of them.

Artist’s impression of the wooden castle as it would have looked in the 11th Century, by Nick Arber

Within a few years of the Conquest the landscape of Norwich would change forever. As early as 1067, work began on the first of two phases involved in the construction of Norwich Castle. Based on the motte-and-bailey design, a timber keep or ‘donjons’ was erected on top of a mound of earth or ‘motte’, which had been expanded from an existing hill, chosen for its proximity to the river. The impact on Anglo-Saxon Norwich was vast, with the Domesday Book of 1086 indicating that 98 houses were demolished to make way for the structure.

Did you know? Some of the walls of the Castle Keep are up to three metres thick!

Towards the end of the 11th century, work began on the second phase: to replace the timber Keep with a royal palace made from Caen stone shipped from Normandy and transported to Norwich, most likely through the waterways from Great Yarmouth. Land acquired in 1094 enabled the construction of a cathedral concurrently with the castle, creating two powerhouses which would come to rule Norwich and its people.

Over time, the mound was widened to accommodate the colossal near-square fortress (29 x 27 metres) and its defences expanded to the south and north-east, the latter known as Castle Meadow. The upper bailey supporting the Keep reached c.2.3 acres, making it the largest man-made motte in England, which it remains to this day. The Castle complex continued to grow and its boundaries are thought to have stretched to some 9.3 hectares (23 acres). This area was known as the Castle Fee.

Artist’s impression of Caslte fee with its new stone Keep as it would have looked in the 12th century, by Ivan Lapper

Norwich was the third royal castle to be erected from stone, after the White Tower in London and Colchester Castle. It was started and completed under the reign of William the Conqueror’s successors, his two sons William Rufus and Henry I. Recent research of existing architecture in the Keep suggests an initial construction date of 1110, with building work resumed in 1120 to prepare for a royal visit from Henry for his crown-wearing ceremony in 1121.

This palatial residence has been described as “architecturally the most ambitious secular building in western Europe” and is thought to be the influence for the design of other fortifications, such as Castle Rising near King’s Lynn and Falaise Castle in Normandy, France.

Norwich Castle was designed to impress. Based on mathematical principles, the Keep was an architectural marvel; a show of Norman supremacy and outstanding craftsmanship but also functional as a palace to be lived in. Unlike the majority of other fortifications, Norwich was a royal holding, and required a representative of the king, a constable, to oversee it. When the Castle was still a timber tower, this position was awarded to William the Conqueror’s loyal friend, William FitzOsbern. In 1075, the role was passed to Ralph Guader, Earl of East Anglia, who married FitzOsbern’s daughter, Emma. At the wedding, the new constable conspired to rebel against the king, which led to a three-month long siege. Ralph fled to Brittany, leaving sixteen-year-old Emma to defend the Castle until her surrender.

The layout of the stone Keep was similar to its wooden predecessor, consisting of two main floors, with living spaces in the upper and storage in the lower. The only entrance, open to the elements, was via an external staircase on the east side of the Keep. Visitors would ascend to the ‘forebuilding’, a type of waiting area, before entering. Known as the Bigod Tower, it takes its name from the Bigod family of earls, many of whom had been constables of the Castle, albeit rebellious ones. It was under Hugh Bigod that the Castle was besieged a second time in 1173 by Flemish invaders. The Castle fell once more in 1216 to Prince Louis of France and many believe the fire from the attack left behind traces of pink seen under the Bigod Tower today.

Creating a sense of anticipation before entering the Keep, visitors waited for an invitation to proceed through the ‘Bigod Arch’, a highly-decorated carved entrance painted in rich vibrant colours. Surviving to this day, it was executed with great skill and depicted mythological imagery, including the winged horse Pegasus and a dragon.

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  The Bigod Arch today, lit with projections to show the original vibrant colours

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  The Bigod Arch today

The interior of the Keep was divided into two halves by a spine wall running east to west, with the Great Hall occupying one half and a series of rooms, including the King’s Chamber and the Chapel, in the other. The opulent Great Hall was an enormous space (17m long and 11m wide) for entertaining guests. Used only by the constable or the king, it had a Minstrels’ Gallery above for musicians and performers. Access throughout the Keep was via spiral staircases, enabling supplies to be transported from the ground floor to supply the festivities above. There was also a passageway set within the walls above the first floor so that servants could tend to all areas of the Keep. It was also used for patrolling soldiers guarding the perimeter, and is now colloquially termed ‘the Fighting Gallery’.

Artist’s impressions of the Keep’s interiors in the 12th century, by Nick Arber

Norwich became an increasingly significant stronghold and by the end of the 12th century it was one of the largest cities in England, comparable in size to London. The Castle was the nucleus for the county’s business and served as the administrative centre for East Anglia. This marked the Castle’s heyday, but that was soon to change.

Join us for the next chapters in Norwich Castle’s history: From Splendour to Squalor and The Museum is Born!