Stansted Mountfitchet Castle, Norman ringwork castle in Stansted Mountfitchet, England.
Stansted Mountfitchet is a Norman ringwork castle built on raised ground in Essex. It consists of earthen mounds and ditches surrounding a central area where reconstructed buildings and a toy museum stand.
The fortification was established by Robert Gernon after the Norman Conquest of 1066 when he arrived from France with William the Conqueror. It served as his first home in England and seat of his family.
The reconstructed village inside the castle grounds shows how people lived during Norman times. Visitors see wooden and stone buildings, craft workshops, and animals that were kept in that era.
The site is easy to reach and offers broad paths between buildings that are walkable for most visitors. There are shaded areas under trees and open spaces depending on where you want to spend time.
This is the only fully wooden Motte and Bailey castle reconstruction in the world standing on its original Norman site. The reconstruction shows what such fortifications actually looked like before stone was used.
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