motte and bailey
noun
: a medieval Norman castle consisting of two connecting ditched stockaded mounds with the higher mound surmounted by the keep and the lower one containing barracks and other buildings
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Stepping onto the nine-acre estate of the Norman motte and bailey structure, which was built by Robert, Count of Mortain, in 1068 following the Battle of Hastings, they were instantly charmed.
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New York Times, 11 May 2022
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New York Times, 11 May 2022
Cite this Entry
“Motte and bailey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motte%20and%20bailey. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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