Large majestic castles cover the territory of Great Britain. Castles are now a huge tourist attraction. They are popular because of their detailed paintings, tapestries, grand walls, tall towers, and intricate architectural design. However, these incredible structures would not exist if the Anglo-Saxon era did not occur during the Middle Ages. Due to constant fighting during the Anglo-Saxon era, defensive buildings, such as castles and walled towns, became a necessity for the Anglo-Saxons in order to carry out their common life. “The Crusaders built castles to protect themselves against poorly disciplined armies (Streissguth, 187) (books, 25). Many armies have sacked and taken control of various cities while gaining power and fortune. While these misfortunes were happening, people had to find ways to protect themselves. At that time in Britain there was no universal law. People were loyal to their kings and rulers, but not to other rulers. The soldiers were told to attack a castle and follow their loyalty to the king there. When one army knew it was strong and could defeat another, it did so. The goal of many was to become rich and have land. They did it by taking from the unfortunate others. Ordinary people had to find ways to defend themselves and their property. Inside castles, people had to find ways to protect themselves from the constant threat of theft. “Most of the houses were made of wood at that time. In 1100, stone walls were built between the ditches and passageways for additional protection (Pounds, 37). The purpose of the walls was to delay the first wave of attackers in order to give the defenders time to prepare for combat. "Attackers used fire, a key weapon to destroy ho...... middle of paper...... 200s to 1300s) the strength of the castles reached its peak (castles and forts)." Knowing this means that the unrest during these years was extremely intense, forcing the castles to strengthen as much as possible. One hundred years is a short time for castles to go from wooden forts to grand stone masterpieces. Well-built fortified towns, castles, formed during a violent history. They were originally defensive structures which were transformed into wonderful structures throughout Britain. Castles are a symbol of power and strength; they are a symbol of strength, as their original purpose was defense. The strongest castle was the one that had the most strength and the one that lasted the longest. It was the time of feudal systems, landowners had to protect their land and its people. They needed many large buildings to hold and protect them..