Temporary earthwork and timber fortifications built as a secure base and possibly temporary lordly base during the besieging of a castle or town. Siege works are often called siege castles, because of the similarity to earthwork castles, but their residential function was minimal. The distinct tendency to over emphasis military history means where there has been a recorded historical siege or battle earthworks of various sorts may be incorrectly attributed as siege works and particular caution is required when attributing a classification as a siege work.