Well Richmond Castle is a good example of how the British became French.
Following the conquest in 1066 there was a rapid establishment of power all over the country to quell any possibility of an uprising. What better way was there other than to build imposing castles all over the place – visible bastions of power.
Richmond Castle was a typical example. It’s politics. It’s power. It is reward.
Huge amounts of land were given to those who had supported William. Richmond was just part of the lands given to Rufus.
Richmond literally means rich, or strong, hill and the castle was built on an imposing hill!
Northerners were an unruly lot and it was felt that they needed sorting out. So Richmond Castle was the second to be built after the invasion. It was started in 1071 ad.
It worked. We were quelled and that’s how we ceased to be German and became French.