• Episodes
    Episode Index Key Dates Timelines By Category This day in history
    Episodes
    Saxons, Angles and Jutes Viking Invasions The Norman Invasion The Hudred Years War War of the Roses Complete list of Episodes
    Timelines
    Timeline Index 1001 .. 1100 1101 .. 1200 1201 .. 1300 1301 .. 1400 1401 .. 1500 1501 .. 1600
    Key Dates
    1001 - 1200 1201 - 1300 1301 - 1400 1401 - 1500 1501 - 1600
    More
    This day in history Timelines by Category
  • People
    Medieval People A..Z English Kings & Queens Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emperors of Byzantine Popes and Antipopes Crusader States and their Rulers Family Trees
    Rulers
    English Kings & Queens Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emperors of Byzantine
    More
    Popes and Antipopes Crusader State Rulers
    Index
    Medieval People A..Z Listed by Century Births and Deaths Family Trees
    Shield Designer
    Design your Shield
  • 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
    General
    Life in Medieval Times The Feudal System The Black Death The Peasants Revolt
    Life in
    Life in a Castle Life in a Village Life in a Town
    The Abbey
    Life in an Abbey The Medieval Abbey The Origin of Monasteries Religious Orders
  • 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 UK Castles by County
    General
    Castle Index Page Castle Development Purpose of a Castle Life in a Castle
    Types
    Early Fortifications Motte and Bailey Square Keeps Conquest Castles Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    More
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle Master Masons
    Locations
    300 Castles UK Castles by County
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings Maps Photographs Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
    Places
    Medieval Buildings A..Z Photographs
    Maps
    Index Page
    Abbeys
    Abbeys and Monasteries Layout of a Medieval Abbey Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
     
  • 3D/VR
    Virtual Reconstructions
    Virtual Motte and Bailey Castle Virtual Norman Keep Virtual Siege Engines
    Virtual Bodiam Castle Virtual Skenfrith Castle Virtual Middleham Castle Virtual White Tower Virtual Etal Castle
    Knights Training
    3D Reconstructions
    Index Page Motte and Bailey Castle Bodiam Castle Skenfrith Castle Middleham Castle The White Tower
    3D Locations
    The Medieval Abbey The Medieval Town The Medieval Village
    2D
    The Medieval Town The Manor House
    Headset VR
    VR Experiences VR Medieval Keep VR Medieval House
  • More
    • Test your Knowledge

    • Glossary of Terms
    • Glossary of Heraldic Terms
    • Scriptorium

    • Games
    • Early Access

    • Copyright / About TimeRef.com
    • Contact the Author
  • Episodes
    Episodes
    Saxons, Angles and Jutes Viking Invasions The Norman Invasion The Hudred Years War War of the Roses Complete list of Episodes
    Timelines
    Timeline Index 1001 .. 1100 1101 .. 1200 1201 .. 1300 1301 .. 1400 1401 .. 1500 1501 .. 1600
    Key Dates
    1001 - 1200 1201 - 1300 1301 - 1400 1401 - 1500 1501 - 1600
    More
    This day in history Timelines by Category
  • People
    Rulers
    English Kings & Queens Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emperors of Byzantine
    More
    Popes and Antipopes Crusader State Rulers
    Index
    Medieval People A..Z Listed by Century Births and Deaths Family Trees
    Shield Designer
    Design your Shield
  • Life
    General
    Life in Medieval Times The Feudal System The Black Death The Peasants Revolt
    Life in
    Life in a Castle Life in a Village Life in a Town
    The Abbey
    Life in an Abbey The Medieval Abbey The Origin of Monasteries Religious Orders
  • Castles
    General
    Castle Index Page Castle Development Purpose of a Castle Life in a Castle
    Types
    Early Fortifications Motte and Bailey Square Keeps Conquest Castles Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    More
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle Master Masons
    Locations
    300 Castles UK Castles by County
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings Maps Photographs Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
    Places
    Medieval Buildings A..Z Photographs
    Maps
    Index Page
    Abbeys
    Abbeys and Monasteries Layout of a Medieval Abbey Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
     
  • 3D/VR
    3D Reconstructions
    Index Page Motte and Bailey Castle Bodiam Castle Skenfrith Castle Middleham Castle The White Tower
    3D Locations
    The Medieval Abbey The Medieval Town The Medieval Village
    2D
    The Medieval Town The Manor House
    Headset VR
    VR Experiences VR Medieval Keep VR Medieval House
  • More
    • Test your Knowledge

    • Glossary of Terms
    • Glossary of Heraldic Terms
    • Scriptorium

    • Games
    • Early Access

    • Copyright / About TimeRef.com
    • Contact the Author

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

Medieval Heraldry

Learn about medieval shield design.

Design your own medieval Coat of Arms.

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 Town - Early Access

Explore the medieval town.

 

Medieval Village - Early Access

Explore the medieval village.

 

Medieval Abbey - Early Access

Explore the medieval abbey.

 

Medieval Theatre - Early Access

Explore the medieval theatre.

 

  1. Home
  2. Reconstructions
  3. Norman Square Keep
3D / VR
Please note that the TimeRef website is currently being redesigned.
Square Keeps Tower of London Middleham Castle Hedingham Castle Dover Castle Timeline 3D reconstructions

Explore a Norman Square Keep

Tweet

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/Tablet 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, the Border 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.

A Norman Square Keep

You may also be interested in exploring a Norman square keep similar to the one built in the reign of King Henry II at Dover Castle.

White Tower at the Tower of London

How about exploring all four floors of the White Tower at the Tower of London, the castle built by William the Conqueror after the Norman Invasion.

Explore the Medieval Village

Explore a medieval village, complete with manor house, church, market place and houses.

Explore the Medieval Town

Explore a medieval town surrounded by high defensive walls.

Explore the Medieval Abbey

Explore a typical Cistercian abbey.

Explore Middleham Castle

Explore Middleham Castle, the home of the Neville family and King Richard III. Walk around the outer and inner baileys and surrounding landscape.

Virtual Locations Map

Click icons to expore reconstructions

Page Navigation

 

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

^ Back to top

          This popup will contain more information
          This popup will contain more information
          xyz
          xyz