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TimeRef.com
  • Episodes
    Episode Index
    Key Dates Timelines
    By Category
    This day in history
  • People
    A..Z List of Medieval People
    Kings and Queens of England Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emporers of Byzantine Popes and Antipopes Crusader States and their Rulers
    Family Trees
  • Life
    Life in Medieval Times
    Life in a Castle The Feudal System Country Life and Agriculture Life in a Medieval Town Life in a Religious Community
  • Castles
    Castle Index Page Castle Development
    Early Fortifications Motte and bailey Castles Square Keeps Castle of William the Conqueror Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle
    Locations of over 300 Castles
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings 3D Virtual Reconstructions Maps Photographs
    Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
  • 3D/VR
    3D Virtual Reconstructions VR Experiences
    Virtual Motte and Bailey Castle Virtual Norman Keep Virtual Siege Engines
    Etal Castle Skenfrith Castle Middleham Castle
    Knights Training
  • More
    Glossary of Terms
    Games Early Access
    Copyright / About TimeRef.com Contact the Author
  1. Home
  2. Reconstructions
  3. Norman Square Keep
3D / VR
3D / VR
Please note that the TimeRef website is currently being redesigned.

Explore a Norman Square Keep

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ne of the most important types of building constructed in the time of William the Conqueror and William Rufus were the Norman keeps. The keep had two primary requirements, the first was to provide comfortable accommodation for the noble and his family, and the second was to protect the noble from being attacked. Although many were rebuilt in the following century there are many good examples still remaining. The White Tower in London, Dover and Rochester in the south east, Newcastle, Appleby, Carlisle, Brough, Richmond in the north are all examples of this type of castle. Other examples include Portchester, Guilford, Goodrich, Norwich, Castle Rising, Hedingham and Colchester. A keep was also known as a donjon, a French word. This word was probably altered over the years and its meaning changed so now the word dungeon means a small room used as a prison.

Please contact me on Discord if you have any questions, issues or suggestions regarding these reconstructions.

Desktop/Laptop version

Explore the keep

Explore three complete floors of a Norman square keep plus a fourth gallery floor using this 3D reconstruction built using the Unity 3D game engine. Based roughly on the layout of Dover Castle explore the basement and dungeon on the ground floor.

 

For best results when exploring the reconstruction press 'L' to go full screen. Press 'Shift' to run.

The castles are all built from a roughly uniform plan. A massive square tower with a square turret at each of the corners that project slightly. Each of the main faces of the castle has a flat buttress running up the centre of the wall for extra strength. The only parts that have decoration are usually the main doorway at the entrance and the chapel. At the centre of the keep are large halls. Some keeps have a dividing wall down the middle. Access to different levels and sections of the castle are by passages and spiral staircases built into the thick walls.

Images from this reconstruction

Images from this reconstruction

Mobile Version

This is a detailed reconstruction and should work on a high-end mobile and tablet devices. It is built using the the Unity 3D game engine.

This may take a while to load and the screen will go blank, but please be patient.

More reconstructions

Etal Castle

 

How about exploring a Northumberland castle built near the Scottish border. An excellent example of a tower house with improved fortifications.

A Motte and Bailey Castle

 

You may also be interested in exploring a motte and bailey castle. Hundreds of these early medieval castles were build all across Europe.

Virtual Locations Map

Click icons to expore reconstructions

More castle pages

  • Castle Index Page
  • Why build and live in castles
  • Castle development timeline

Pages in this section

  • Introduction and simple keep example
  • Tower of London plans and 3d model
  • Middleham Castle floor plans
  • Hedingham Castle floor plans
  • Dover Castle floor plans
  • Timeline of Square Keep construction
  • Explore 3d reconstructions

Types of castles

  • Early Fortifications
  • Castles of William the Conqueror
  • Keep and bailey castles
  • Motte and bailey castles
  • Square keeps
  • Shell-Keeps
  • Polygonal Keeps
  • Concentric Castles

Other details

  • Castles of Edward I
  • Medieval Castle Builders
  • Medieval Siege Tactics
  • The Trebuchet
  • Siege Towers
  • Parts of a castle
  • Location of 300+ UK castles
  • Location by UK county

Pages in this section

  • Introduction and simple keep example
  • Tower of London plans and 3d model
  • Middleham Castle floor plans
  • Hedingham Castle floor plans
  • Dover Castle floor plans
  • Timeline of Square Keep construction
  • Explore 3d reconstructions

Castles

  • Castle Index Page
  • Why build and live in castles
  • Castle development timeline
  • Early Fortifications
  • Keep and bailey castles
  • Castles of William the Conqueror
  • Motte and bailey castles
  • Square keeps
  • Shell-Keeps
  • Polygonal Keeps
  • Concentric Castles
  • Castles of Edward I
  • Medieval Castle Builders
  • Medieval Siege Tactics
  • The Trebuchet
  • Siege Towers
  • Parts of a castle
  • Location of 300+ UK castles
  • Location by UK county

Explore the White Tower

Explore four floors of the keep at the Tower of London.

 

Adventure Game - Early Access

Early Access to the TimeRef card-based Adventure Game.

 

Medieval Village - Early Access

Explore the medieval village.

 

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