Master James of St George shows why a castle's designer and builder mattered as much as its masonry. Employing one of the leading architects of the age produced a different result from hiring a local mason with no castle experience. Castle construction could also become a career for younger nobles or experienced fighters seeking royal employment. Successful masters might receive constableships, governorships, sheriffships, income, and status in peacetime. The castle itself was a machine of war that helped its garrison dominate the surrounding area through walls, a connected town, local militia, and extra eyes and ears.
Notable Point · 11:35-14:40
Master James and the castle machine
The episode links elite builders, professional careers, garrisons, towns, and local militia to the idea of a castle as a working machine of war.