Project Documents Historic Pilsbury Norman conquest [8kB, text/richtext] William reaches England Harrying of the North [7kB, text/richtext] William's devasting conquest Henry de Ferrers [4kB, text/richtext] Biography of Henry de Ferrers Castle - Norman [3kB, text/richtext] Building a motte and bailey castle Maps Section Normandy & England [201kB, image/pjpeg] Route of the Norman invasion De Ferrers Castles [33kB, image/pjpeg] De Ferrers castle in the 11th century. Manor of Hartington 1250 [247kB, image/pjpeg] De Ferrers land ownership of Hartington 1250. Great Britain & Pilsbury Location map [32kB, image/pjpeg] Pilsbury location. Pilsbury & surrounds [150kB, image/pjpeg] Site of pilsbury castle [78kB, image/pjpeg] Pilsbury castle in the landscape.

The Norman Conquest

William of Normandy killed Harold, the English King, and many of his leaders at the battle of Hastings in 1066.

But although he had won the battle and was crowned King of England on Christmas Day 1066, he was not in control of all of his lands.

There were rebellions and William and his men reacted harshly, killing many people, destroying homes and crops and turning their land into waste.
As he travelled the country he built wooden motte and bailey castles to defend important places.

William The Conqueror and Henry de Ferrers

When William came over from Normandy to fight for the Crown of England he brought many of his knights and friends to help him. Henry de Ferrers was one of these knights and William rewarded him for his bravery and loyalty by giving him lands in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, taken from the Anglo-Saxons.

Henry de Ferrers built his main castle at Tutbury, a second castle at Duffield and probably a third castle in the northern part of his lands at Pilsbury, near Hartington.

Why do you think he built a castle at Pilsbury?

You can become a detective and look for more clues in the 'Project Documents' section, seen here to the right.