Montfichet's Tower

Mountfichet's Tower is a Norman motte-and-bailey fortress with a central wooden keep, surrounding defensive walls, and reconstructed buildings showing a typical medieval layout. The site displays working areas, living quarters, and storage structures arranged across the elevated earthen mound.

The fortress was built after the Norman Conquest in 1066 by Robert Gernon on a site that had been occupied since the Iron Age by successive populations. The location reveals layers of habitation spanning over a thousand years of English history.

The site showcases medieval crafts and traditional activities that bring to life how people actually worked and lived in those times. Visitors can watch demonstrations of skills that were essential to daily survival.

The site is located near Stansted Airport and can be easily reached by train from London with regular connections available. Visitors should wear suitable clothing as the grounds offer limited shelter from weather and involve considerable walking across open areas.

The grounds are home to rescued animals including deer, goats, and chickens that roam freely among the reconstructed medieval buildings. These creatures give visitors insight into the essential role that livestock played in supporting life within the fortress community.