Plural of bailey; the outer wall or fortified enclosure of a castle, or a variant spelling of the liqueur Bailey's Irish Cream.
From Old English 'bægel' and Old French 'baile' (enclosure), referring to the outer palisade or defensive wall of early castles. This architectural term became 'bailey,' especially famous in 'motte-and-bailey' castle designs.
Motte-and-bailey castles were revolutionary military engineering—a quick, affordable way to establish control over conquered land, and hundreds were built across medieval Europe. You can still see the earthen mounds (mottes) and ditch outlines (baileys) across England today.
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