The old in the new : urban castle imposition in Anglo-Norman England, AD 1050-1150
In the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of the kingdom of England in the late eleventh century a series of castle structures were imposed on the fabric of a large number of Late Saxon towns. In the late 1980s this specific group of castles were archaeologically termed âurban castlesâ, being perceived as distinct from other forms of such structures encountered in the UK. The interpretation of these castles, whose design is widely accepted as being imported in this period from northern France, is closely entwined with culturally and nationalistically-loaded historical narrative of the Norman Conquest. This interpretive position has had a dominant role in how the urban castle is studied in historical and archaeological discourse, which in turn reinforces the validity and legitimacy of this approach. The present study will seek to question the rationale and evidence behind the present interpretive framework. This will include a historiographical analysis of the development of the study of Late Saxon and Norman England over the last century and how the conditions of research in this period has influenced and often proved divisive in how the urban castle is understood and encapsulated within perceptions of radical
Fradley, Michael George
The old in the new : urban castle imposition in Anglo-Norman England, AD 1050-1150. In the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of the kingdom of England in the late eleventh century a series of castle structures were imposed on the fabric of a large number of Late Saxon towns. In the late 1980s this specific group of castles were archaeologically termed âurban castlesâ, being perceived as distinct from other forms of such structures encountered in the UK. The interpretation of these castles, whose design is widely accepted as being imported in this period from northern France, is closely entwined with culturally and nationalistically-loaded historical narrative of the Norman Conquest. This interpretive position has had a dominant role in how the urban castle is studied in historical and archaeological discourse, which in turn reinforces the validity and legitimacy of this approach. The present study will seek to question the rationale and evidence behind the present interpretive framework. This will include a historiographical analysis of the development of the study of Late Saxon and Norman England over the last century and how the conditions of research in this period has influenced and often proved divisive in how the urban castle is understood and encapsulated within perceptions of radical
old_new urban castle imposition anglo norman england aftermath norman_conquest kingdom england series castle structure impose fabric large_number late_saxon town specific group castle archaeologically termed urban castle perceive distinct_form structure encounter interpretation castle whose design widely_accept imported period northern_france closely entwine culturally historical_narrative norman_conquest interpretive position dominant role urban castle study historical_archaeological discourse turn reinforces validity legitimacy approach present_study seek question rationale evidence behind present interpretive_framework include historiographical analysis development study late saxon norman england condition period influence often prove divisive urban castle understood encapsulate within perception radical