A ruler in 1066 could not announce a conquest through television, radio, or newspapers. Castles made military control visible, while large churches displayed wealth, permanence, and devotion. These buildings were instruments of communication as well as fortifications or places of worship. The conquest of Wales was Norman rather than simply English, and Norman rulers could recruit southern Welsh forces against northern Welsh opponents. The landscape of conquest grew from political alliances and monumental statements rather than one uniform national advance.
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Castles and churches advertised Norman rule
Without modern mass communication, castles and great churches made a new regime's military power, wealth, and religious authority visible across the landscape.