Table Of ContentCastles in
Medieval Society
Fortresses in England, France,
and Ireland in the
Central Middle Ages
CHARLES L. H. COULSON
1
Castles in Medieval Society
3
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© Charles Coulson 2003
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First published 2003
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Data available
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Coulson, Charles.
Castles in medieval society: fortresses in England, France, and Ireland in the central
Middle Ages/Charles L.H. Coulson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index.
1. Castles—England. 2. Fortification—England—History—To 1500. 3.
Fortification—Ireland—History—To 1500. 4.Fortification—France—History—To 1500. 5.
England—Social conditions—1066‒1485. 6.France—Social conditions—987‒1515. 7.
Social History—Medieval, 500‒1500. 8.Ireland—History—1172‒1603. 9. Castles—Ireland.
10. Castles—France. I. Title.
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To H.O.H.C., whose challenge—‘What is the use of castles, when they always
surrendered if besieged for long enough?’, I have taken so long to meet—
And
To R.C. (‘Otto’) Smail, who said of some of these ideas in their original form
(1970), ‘this must be investigated very carefully; very carefully indeed’: and
who wrote ‘the college clock has struck three and you will be closeted with
your examiners. The exigencies of the moment mean that you will not be
aware of it—but I am sitting here willing you on with all the power at my
command’ (1972).
Acknowledgements
A book long in gestation acquires many debts. Those who are not responsible for
the blemishes which remain include the late R. Allen Brown (my research super-
visor in 1965–72), Christopher Brooke, Dick (C. N.) Johns, J.G. Edwards and Otto
(R. C.) Smail, my first mentor in castellology. To Professor C. H. Lawrence, to my
thesis examiners Maurice Keen and Robin du Boulay, and to Michael Thompson,
who all read earlier versions in whole or part, I record my gratitude. For encour-
agement over many years I am grateful also to Marjorie Chibnall, my once and
continual teacher, and similarly to Michel de Boüard, Pierre Héliot, Anthony
Emery, Arnold Taylor, Edmund King, Derek Renn, John Blair, Alf Smyth, Philip
Dixon, and to Howard Colvin whose counsel and friendship have been most
generous. I have benefited also from discussions with Eric Fernie, John Kenyon,
Katharine Keats-Rohan, Susan Reynolds, David Crouch, Robert Liddiard,
Matthew Strickland, John Goodall, Pamela Marshall, Jean Mesqui, Marie-Pierre
Baudry, and especially with Ann Williams, David Roffe, David Dumville, Vivien
Brown, and from the fellowship of the annual Anglo-Norman Studies Conference
at Battle. Membership of the Castle Studies Group has also brought many advan-
tages. My colleague Richard Eales at the University of Kent has been a generous
friend and advisor for many years. To him, to Malcolm Barber, to Michael Jones,
and to Michael Prestwich I owe many suggestions for improving the final version
of this book. Terry Barry has identified some Irish castles for me. The editorial
support at the Oxford University Press, especially of the History Commissioning
Editor Ruth Parr, of the copy editor Jeff New, and comments by the Referees to
whom it was submitted and the typing of Sally Hewett have been no less impor-
tant. Where illumination has failed me the fact will be obvious but none of these
are responsible. No one has done more to sustain such illumination as I possess
than my wife Anne.
Nonington
Easter 2002
Contents
INTRODUCTION 1
PART I. CASTLES: ANCIENT, VARIOUS, AND SOCIABLE
1. A FRESH LOOK AT EARLY CASTLES 15
1. Fortresses in Transition 16
2. The Carolingian Response to Invasion 19
3. Castles and Social Reconstruction 24
2. VARIETY VIOLATED: SOME CONCEPTUAL PROBLEMS 29
1. The Modern Construct of ‘The Castle’ 30
2. Some Contrasts With the Sources 42
3. Castellaries Were Also ‘Castles’ 49
3. SOME SOCIAL RELATIONS OF ‘CASTLES AND FORTRESSES’ 64
1. Earthwork and Ashlar: Policing, Hierarchy, and Aesthetics 66
2. Architectural Eulogy and Noble Ambition 76
3. Some Incidentals of the Castle Image 84
4. Conclusions: Part I—Castles ‘For All the Folk’ 91
PART II. CASTLES AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST
1. NOBLE MILITARY ‘LIBERTIES’, ETHOS AND ETHICS 98
1. Weaponry and Architecture 99
2. The Aura and the Abuse of Arms 104
3. ‘Adventures’, ‘Feats of Arms’, and Fortresses 112
4. Castles: Innocent or Guilty? 117
2. PEACEKEEPING AT HOME AND ABROAD 128
1. Fortifying and ‘Purprestures’, 1217–c.1274 128
2. Pacification and Fortifications, 1217–c.1226 135
