>> (Vikings had the same sort of things(!))

Called <i>Things</i>, which always cracks me up. "What's that mound Erik?" ... "Oh, just a Thing I built."

Sorry.

Before I get me coat though:

Motte is from the French for hillock apparently. Moot comes from the Old English 'gemot' - a judicial or political meeting. Possible roots in the Old Germanic 'motan' is cognate with Old Saxon and Old Icelandic 'mot', which means a meeting.

There is a huge eratic boulder in Ireland known as <i>The Motte Stone</i>, which was used as an official meeting place (don't know time frame ... sorry). Motte is pronounced Motchee in this instance.