Idea: The Inverse Motte and Bailey Castle

The traditional Motte and Bailey castle is basically just a hill of earth (the motte) and a wooden castle surrounded by a timber wall around the castle (the bailey). The weakness of this design is that invaders can literally just run up the hill. And additionally, the bailey is the highest point on the landscape and therefore a tempting target to anyone who is looking for a target.

My suggestion as an alternative idea is what I call, the inverse Motte and Bailey.

The motte is a ring around the bailey, with a sharp vertical edge on the outside wall with large stones to support the motte. The inside edge of the motte should taper gently down so the defenders could easily run up the hill to defend the walls. Additionally, a trench or moat could easily be added and filled with thorn bushes such as blackberries, and surrounded by quick growing trees to hide the settlement from outside view.

The bailey, instead of being the focus of the whole setup, disappears in the Inverse Motte and Bailey. Instead of a tall bailey rising up above the rest of the landscape, the settlement should be low profile with sod roofing so that even from the air, the settlement disappears into the landscape.

Whereas the original Motte and Bailey was designed to be a tenth century stronghold for a warlord who intended it to command respect. The Inverse Motte and Bailey is intended to vanish from view and disappear into the landscape. The original is a statement of domination and power. The inverse is a whisper on the land designed to meld with the land and vanish into the place itself.

With the intended goal of disappearing, access to settlement creates a challenge, allowing for easy access to the settlement for those with permission to enter and access for those goods and services brought in from outside the settlement. Can a moose or bear brought down in a hunt be brought into the settlement? If larger goods are being brought in, logs and rock for construction as an example, can these be brought easily into the settlement.

Large doors invite attack. Is there a way to hide them, perhaps behind hanging moss or some other camouflage, or perhaps behind an antechamber of earth walls much like the curve in a public washroom that hides the room without closing access? Perhaps creating a tunnel through the wall that can be more easily blocked and hidden than a large set of castle style walls.

If there is trade taking place, can that trade be redirected to a trading post that is not near the settlement? Do food or crops needs to be brought in from outside the the wall? Can these crops be moved so that they are planted within the walls?

Can access be achieved covertly, perhaps through a concealed water access way? Can access be achieved easily without sacrificing security? Can defense be achieved without drawing attention to the settlement?

Since the settlement will be using earth sheltering, can the motte itself be uses as a building, perhaps barracks or cold cellars or other public buildings? The idea of building rooms into the walls that defend the people suggests symbolic meaning in whatever purpose the rooms in the motte are used.

Also important to consider is drainage, because the motte creates a basin. Without proper drainage, the bailey will drown in the center of the motte after heavy rain. These small technical problems must be addressed, otherwise the grand idea doesn't stand for much. The devil's in the details.