Transription: THE HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY PART 4: THE NORMANS
When the Normans occupied Shrewsbury, they did as they had done elsewhere.
'A time of invasion and battle fortifications'.
They found a suitable site from which to dominate the town, dug a circular moat.
This image shows the type of moat thought to be similar (this one is not in Shrewsbury).
They threw the earth into the centre to form a mound, (This picture is of 'The Moat' in Dundonald, for example.)
and on that mound they erected a wooden Keep.
(This picture shows an archaeological reconstruction in France of a wooden Norman keep.)
The site they chose (which may have looked similar to this slide), is now occupied by Laura's Tower.
This is the modern-day Laura's Tower.
The commanding view meant that the Normans could easily watch for enemies.
Imagine the view without the castle.
TRUST ME! That did not exist at the time. Keep watching! Explained later.
Here is another shot of the present Laura's Tower.
In order to secure his borders against the Welsh, William the Conqueror gave enormous powers to three of his followers.
They became the Palatinate Earls of Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford.
(This is a portrait of William the Conquerer.)
Roger of Montgomery, a kinsman of the Conqueror, was created the first Earl of Shrewsbury in 1074.
And, he immediately began rebuilding the original wooden castle.
By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, he had swept away 51 houses, to make room for a much more substantial Castle, including the secure walled area of an 'inner bailey'.
And, a further fifty houses had been demolished near the Castle to create a vast 'outer bailey',
which stretched right down to present-day Castle Street.
The Norman gateway is the only part of Earl Roger's original building which still survives.
BUT, you won't believe this! Shrewsbury Castle LOOKS INCREDIBLY ancient, but isn't Norman, & wasn't started until c1300.
Now. watch out for the History of Shrewsbury, Part 5 - coming soon!
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