Castle Hill and Motte

The logical place to start with a historical overview of Cambridge is with the arrival of the Romans. The Romans probably weren’t the first people to call Cambridge their home, however they were the first to keep a written record of their presence and in 40AD they were attracted to a hill which afforded them a good view of the surrounding landscape. This hill is now known as Castle Hill and at the peak of the hill you can find the Castle Mound (pictured), which is all that is left of a castle motte and bailey built during Norman times.

After 40AD, the Romans inhabited the area for 400 years before leaving; and, it wasn’t until the Norman Conquest in 1066 that the area finally sported a wooden castle (1068). A stone castle (with the motte and bailey) replaced the wooden castle in the 1200s and lasted until the 1800s. However, it became so derelict that eventually the stone was removed and reused in the building of other features around Cambridge.

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