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A motte-and-bailey castle was a common type of fortification in medieval England. It consisted of a usually artificial mound surmounted by a tower or keep, with a large defended enclosed area next to the mound and was usually used for storage and barracks. Stockport Castle's motte was where Castle Yard is today – although it was previously called Castle Hill – influencing the name of the area. The bailey was situated south-east of the motte. The castle was probably similar in size and shape to castles such as Launceston in Cornwall, and Pontefract in West Yorkshire. The keep surmounting the motte was irregularly shaped, and according to plans drawn in 1775 by the Reverend John Watson, a local antiquarian, measured 31 by 60 m (102 by 200 ft). No trace of the keep remains from the levelling of the area in 1775 and 1853.
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