Castle in York and North Yorkshire

York Castle Museum is one of the most enjoyable and accessible social history museums in Britain, occupying a set of historic buildings within the York Castle complex and bringing the history of everyday life in Britain from the seventeenth century to the present day to life through remarkably vivid and carefully curated displays. The museum was founded in 1938 using the remarkable collection of historical objects accumulated over many years by Dr John Lamplugh Kirk, a Pickering physician who devoted his life and income to preserving the material culture of ordinary Yorkshire life at a time when industrialisation was sweeping away the pre-modern world with extraordinary speed. The museum's most celebrated feature is Kirkgate, a recreated Victorian street of complete shopfronts, paving and gaslit atmosphere that allows visitors to walk through a fully three-dimensional reconstruction of Victorian commercial life. The individual shops, each fitted out with period stock, signage and equipment representing different trades from a Victorian apothecary to a confectioner, a saddler, a toy shop and a pawnbroker, create an immersive experience that communicates the texture of Victorian urban life more effectively than conventional display cases could achieve. The adjoining Half Moon Court recreates an Edwardian street for the early twentieth century period. The museum's collection ranges across virtually every aspect of domestic and social history. The Fashion Gallery traces clothing and personal style from the Georgian period to the present day through an impressive collection of dress and accessories. The Toy Story gallery explores the history of childhood through toys and games, and temporary exhibitions tackle specific periods and themes in depth. The prison cells within the Debtors' Prison building, part of the castle complex, have been preserved and interpreted to tell the history of crime, punishment and imprisonment through the cases of specific individuals held here. The museum also houses the cell where the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin was held before his execution at York in 1739, one of the most visited individual spaces in the building for visitors who know the romantic mythology attached to this historical criminal figure.

Spofforth Castle near Spofforth in North Yorkshire is a ruined medieval castle associated with the Percy family, one of the most powerful noble dynasties of northern England throughout the medieval and early modern periods. The castle dates from the thirteenth century and was a significant Percy family seat before Alnwick Castle in Northumberland became their principal residence. The remains include the hall block standing to considerable height and various ancillary buildings, managed by English Heritage and freely accessible in the attractive village of Spofforth. The Percy family's central role in the history of medieval northern England, including their involvement in the Wars of the Roses and the northern rebellions against Tudor rule, gives Spofforth a historical significance beyond its modest surviving remains. The surrounding Harrogate district provides attractive walking country.

Castle Howard in North Yorkshire is one of the grandest and most imposing country houses in Britain, an enormous baroque palace designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor for the third Earl of Carlisle in the early eighteenth century that dominates its parkland setting with a confidence and authority matched by very few English country houses. The house was begun in 1699 and the main building completed by 1712, with additional wings added later in the century, and the combination of the great domed central hall, the baroque facade and the carefully composed landscape of lakes, temples and architectural features in the park creates one of the most complete examples of baroque country house design in England. Vanbrugh, who had no architectural training before receiving this commission and had previously worked as a playwright and soldier, brought to the project a theatrical imagination and instinct for dramatic effect that resulted in a building quite unlike any other in England. The central cupola rising above the main hall, the long colonnaded wings flanking the entrance courtyard and the confident orchestration of mass and void across the south front create an impression of palatial grandeur that overwhelmed contemporary observers and has continued to inspire admiration across three centuries. The house became internationally famous as the setting for Granada Television's 1981 adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh's novel of aristocratic Catholic life in England, and the association with this television production has brought many visitors who wish to see the location of a story that made a powerful impression on an entire generation of viewers. The house's appearance in numerous other productions since has consolidated its status as a filming location as well as a historical attraction. The grounds of Castle Howard contain a remarkable series of garden buildings including Vanbrugh's Temple of the Four Winds, the Mausoleum designed by Hawksmoor and the Ray Wood woodland garden that contains one of the finest collections of species rhododendrons and ornamental trees in the north of England.

Middleham Castle is situated 2 miles south of Leyburn, near the edge of the Yorkshire Dales in Wensleydale. Although the castle is in ruins most of the large walls are still intact and consists of a two storey Norman keep with turrets at each corner and the midway points and the remains of residential buildings surrounded by a curtain wall. The entrance to the keep is via a staircase to the first floor. There is a further spiral staircase up to the top of the south west tower which has views over the town and countryside beyond. Only the foundations of the original eastern gatehouse and curtain wall are still visible, but the rest of the wall is still intact. Despite some restoration the lower parts of the keep, windows, doorways and battlements are badly damaged and eroded. Facilities The castle is open to the public daily between March and September 10am to 6pm and between October and March until 4pm Saturday to Wednesday. There is an exhibition about the castle's important occupants and includes a copy of the 'Middleham Jewel'; a large 15th century sapphire pendent, as well as family friendly activities and a shop selling souvenirs and snacks. The castle was constructed on the site of an earlier motte and bailey castle in the late 1100's by Robert Fitzrandolph, and consisted on a three storey keep with chapel, living quarters and bailey. During the 13th century a 250 foot curtain wall was built around the castle and during the 14th and 15th centuries, stables, stores and a garrison were also built within the castle walls. It was also during the 15th century that some of the most powerful Lords in England, including Warwick, Salisbury, the Duke of Gloucester and King Richard III all lived at Middleham Castle; with it being the most favorite of all the Kings castles. 'The Princes Tower', a round tower at the south west of the curtain wall is where Price Edward was said to have been born and where he died. The castle came into the hands of Henry VII after King Richard's death in 1485 was abandoned and fell into ruins. In 1604 the castle was granted to Sir Henry Linley who renovated and lived until his death in 1610. During the Civil War the castle was used as a prison, but in 1646 the parliamentarians ordered the wall of the east range and other parts of the castle to be destroyed and again it was left abandoned. The castle changed hands for the last time in 1925 when English Heritage acquired it from Lord Masham.

Pickering Castle is situated on the edge of the North York Moors in the town of Pickering, 15 miles from Scarborough in the north of England. The ruins of Pickering Castle are in varying stages of decay although parts have been well restored and the motte and ditches are still very much in evidence. The site is surrounded by an almost full height curtain wall with three square towers and the 'Old Hall', the oldest surviving building dating back to the 12th century. The chapel is the only building to have a roof; the foundations of the remaining buildings and a small section of wall from the shell keep are also visible. Facilities The castle is open daily from 10am until 6pm from March until September. There are a range of family friendly activities and books, as well as an exhibition on the castle's chapel. Pickering Castle was originally a Norman motte and bailey castle, built in 1069 by William the Conqueror it consisted of a central keep with outer wooden defenses which were replaced by stone in the following years. In 1180 King Henry constructed a curtain wall around the inner bailey and continued to improve its defenses with the addition of a circular shell keep but it wasn't until the beginning of the 14th century that the outer wooden defenses were changed for a stone outer bailey curtain wall. By the 1530's the castle had already started to fall into ruins and within the next century the only building that had a roof was the chapel. In 1926 the castle was in the hands of the state and today is under the care of English Heritage.

Richmond Castle rises above the spectacular gorge of the River Swale in North Yorkshire with a commanding presence that has dominated this hillside town for nearly a thousand years. Built by Alan Rufus, the first Earl of Richmond, shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066, it is one of the earliest stone castles in England and one of the best preserved examples of early Norman military architecture anywhere in the country. The combination of historic castle, medieval market place and dramatic Swale gorge scenery makes Richmond one of the most attractive and satisfying small towns in northern England. The castle was begun in the 1080s and the great square keep that towers above the town was added in the twelfth century. At 30 metres high it remains the most imposing feature of the ruins and provides sweeping views from its roof across the town and the surrounding Swaledale countryside. The keep's construction in large, well-cut stone blocks demonstrates the resources and ambition of its builders at a time when most English construction still relied heavily on timber. Scotland's Hall, within the castle's great court, is believed to be the earliest surviving secular hall in England, a remarkable survival that gives an unparalleled sense of the domestic and ceremonial spaces within an early Norman fortress. The hall's large windows, rare in military architecture of this period, suggest that the castle was conceived from the beginning as a centre of display and hospitality as well as a defensive stronghold. During the First World War the castle served as a military detention centre, and the story of the sixteen conscientious objectors imprisoned here for refusing to fight has become an important part of the castle's more recent history. Some of these men, members of the No-Conscription Fellowship and the Society of Friends, were later court-martialled and sentenced to death, sentences that were commuted to imprisonment just before they were to be carried out. Their names are inscribed on the walls of the guardroom cell and a small exhibition within the castle tells their story. The town of Richmond itself is one of the gems of the Yorkshire Dales. The cobbled Market Place is among the finest in England, surrounded by Georgian buildings and dominated by Holy Trinity Church with its extraordinary collection of shops built into its ground floor walls.

Mulgrave Castle stands as one of North Yorkshire's most atmospheric and historically significant ruined fortresses, perched on a dramatic wooded promontory above Sandsend Beck in the North York Moors National Park. Located approximately three miles northwest of Whitby, this medieval stronghold occupies a naturally defensible position that has witnessed centuries of English history, from Norman conquest through medieval warfare to its eventual decline. The castle ruins remain privately owned by the Marquess of Normanby, whose estate encompasses the surrounding parkland, though public footpaths allow visitors to approach and view these evocative remains from certain vantages. The original castle was established shortly after the Norman Conquest, with the first fortification likely constructed in the late 11th or early 12th century by the de Mulgrave family, from whom it takes its name. The substantial stone ruins visible today, however, primarily date from the 13th and 14th centuries, representing a period of significant rebuilding and expansion. The castle played a notable role during the medieval period as a defensive outpost in the turbulent North of England, where Scottish raids and local conflicts were commonplace. The fortress was besieged and captured during the English Civil War in 1647 by Parliamentary forces, after which it was deliberately slighted to prevent its further military use, consigning it to the romantic ruin it remains today. The physical remains of Mulgrave Castle create a powerfully atmospheric scene, with sections of curtain wall still standing to considerable height, along with fragments of domestic buildings and what appears to have been a substantial gatehouse. The stonework, weathered by centuries of North Yorkshire rain and wind, has taken on a silvery-grey patina, and vegetation has colonized many of the upper sections, with ivy and small trees growing from crevices in the masonry. When you visit, the silence is often profound, broken only by birdsong and the rustling of leaves in the surrounding woodland, creating a sense of stepping back through time to an era of knights and medieval conflict. The layout suggests this was once a castle of considerable size and importance, with evidence of multiple building phases visible in the varying construction styles and materials. The castle occupies an extraordinarily beautiful position within a steep-sided, densely wooded valley carved by Sandsend Beck. Ancient oak, beech, and sycamore trees surround the ruins, and in spring, the woodland floor erupts with bluebells and wild garlic, filling the air with their distinctive scent. The topography is dramatic, with the castle positioned to command views both up and down the valley, demonstrating the strategic thinking of its medieval builders. The beck itself adds a constant musical backdrop, its waters tumbling over rocks and creating small waterfalls that would have provided fresh water to the castle's inhabitants. The surrounding Mulgrave Woods are designated as ancient woodland, supporting a rich ecosystem of wildlife including roe deer, badgers, and numerous bird species. In addition to the medieval castle ruins, the estate also contains Mulgrave Castle (the "new" castle), a grand country house built in the 18th century by the Phipps family, who became the Earls and later Marquesses of Normanby. This newer residence remains occupied and is not open to the public, but its presence adds another layer to the historical landscape. The proximity of Whitby, just three miles to the southeast, means visitors can easily combine a trip to Mulgrave Castle ruins with exploration of that famous coastal town with its abbey ruins, connections to Captain Cook and Bram Stoker's Dracula, and thriving harbor. The village of Sandsend lies even closer, offering seaside charm and refreshment options. Accessing Mulgrave Castle requires some understanding of the rights of way situation. While the castle ruins themselves stand on private land belonging to the Mulgrave Estate, public footpaths run through portions of the estate grounds, and some paths bring you close enough to view the impressive remains. The most commonly used approach is via footpaths from Sandsend, following routes that lead through the beautiful woodland valley. Visitors should respect private property boundaries and "No Trespassing" signs, though the views obtainable from permitted paths are still rewarding. The terrain can be muddy and uneven, particularly after rain, so sturdy waterproof walking boots are essential. The paths involve some moderate inclines through the wooded valley. The best times to visit are during late spring and early summer when the woodland is at its most vibrant, with abundant wildflowers and full foliage on the trees creating a verdant cathedral-like atmosphere. Autumn offers its own rewards, with spectacular color changes in the deciduous woodland and fewer visitors on the paths. Winter visits can be atmospheric but challenging, as the paths become slippery and daylight hours are limited. Early morning visits often provide the most magical experience, with mist rising from the beck and the possibility of encountering deer in the woods. The site is exposed to North Yorkshire weather, so waterproof clothing is advisable at any time of year. One fascinating aspect of Mulgrave Castle's history involves the powerful Percy family, who held the castle at various points during the medieval period. The Percys, as Earls of Northumberland, were among the most influential noble families in northern England, and Mulgrave served as one of their network of fortifications controlling the region. Local legends speak of hidden treasures and secret passages, though no verified discoveries have been made. The castle's dramatic decline from military stronghold to romantic ruin mirrors the fate of many English castles following the Civil War, when they were deliberately rendered indefensible to prevent future rebellions. The decision to build an entirely new mansion rather than restore the medieval fortress reflects 18th-century taste, which preferred modern comfort and classical elegance over drafty medieval accommodation, even as the Romantic movement began to appreciate ruins for their picturesque qualities.

Skipton Castle is situated in the town centre of Skipton, 18 miles north west of Bradford in the north of England. Skipton Castle is a well preserved medieval castle surrounded by an outer curtain wall. The entrance to the site is through a gatehouse flanked by two stout drum towers, the east tower containing a 17th century shell grotto. The main building, built over two storey's, consists of six drum towers, domestic buildings on the northern side, the ruins of a chapel and a Tudor style courtyard. Facilities The castle is open daily from 10am until 6pm; from midday on Sundays, March until September and until 4pm October to February. Included in the admission cost is a tour sheet giving pictures and information on the castle's most interesting features. The shop specializes in historical books relating to the castle as well as cards, prints, gifts and light refreshments. The Clifford Tea rooms offer specialty tea and coffee and homemade items, and for those who prefer to picnic in the grounds the secluded picnic area has views over the town. The first motte and bailey castle on the site was built by Robert de Romille in 1090 but it was soon replaced with a stronger stone keep to help protect against the attacks of the Scots. Edward II granted Skipton Castle to Lord Clifford who set about making many improvements including adding four huge drum towers in the inner bailey and creating a curtain wall with gatehouse and bastions. During the Civil War in December 1645, the castle was finally surrendered following a three year siege, after which Oliver Cromwell ordered the castle's roofs be removed. The castle remained the Clifford family until the death of Lady Anne Clifford. She was responsible for ordering the repairs after the siege and also planting the yew tree which still stands in the central courtyard today.

Knaresborough Castle is a ruined fourteenth-century royal castle perched dramatically above the gorge of the River Nidd in the historic spa and market town of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire. The castle was built by the English Crown in the early fourteenth century and played a role in several significant events of medieval English history including the imprisonment of Richard II before his murder and the administration of the extensive Duchy of Lancaster estates. The keep and parts of the curtain wall survive in good condition, and the castle now contains the Knaresborough Museum interpreting the town's rich history. The town of Knaresborough is one of the most attractive in Yorkshire, with its medieval market square, medieval viaduct over the Nidd gorge, Mother Shipton's Cave and the Royal Pump Room museum providing an excellent range of heritage attractions.

Scarborough Castle occupies one of the most dramatic castle sites in England, a rocky headland jutting into the North Sea between the town's two bays with sheer drops on three sides that made it the most naturally defended position on this stretch of the Yorkshire coast. The views from the headland sweep across the North Bay to the north, the South Bay with its famous beach to the south, and the open sea to the east, creating a panorama that makes clear why humans have fortified this headland since the Bronze Age. The medieval castle was established by William le Gros, Count of Aumale, around 1136 and subsequently taken over by the crown when Henry II purchased it in 1155. Henry invested heavily in the site, constructing the great keep that still stands to a height of over 30 metres despite losing its upper stories and one corner wall in a dramatic collapse during the seventeenth century. The keep was one of the largest and most expensive built by Henry II in the north of England and, together with his works at Newcastle, Richmond and elsewhere, demonstrates the strategic importance he attached to controlling Yorkshire. The castle played a role in some of the most turbulent episodes in English medieval history. Piers Gaveston, the controversial favourite of Edward II, used the castle as a refuge in 1312 and was besieged here by nobles who were determined to end his influence over the king. After negotiating what proved to be an illusory safe conduct, Gaveston was captured and executed, an episode that contributed directly to the political crisis culminating in Edward's own deposition and murder. During the Civil War the castle endured two long sieges before eventually surrendering to Parliamentary forces in 1645. The German naval bombardment of Scarborough in December 1914, which killed 18 civilians and damaged buildings across the town, provided one of the most effective British recruiting posters of the First World War under the slogan Remember Scarborough. The castle itself was damaged by German naval shells during this attack. English Heritage manages the castle and the site includes an excellent visitor centre, exhibits about the castle's long history and access to the headland promontory with its extraordinary coastal views.

Bolton Castle is located in the village of Castle Bolton in Wensleydale inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The castle is built as a quadrangle with accommodation along each side and a tower at each corner. The single entrance to the courtyard is through a vaulted passage with a portcullis at each end. The exterior of the castle is in good condition. The interior is mostly an empty shell apart from the west range and south-west tower which are still complete. The castle is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument The Castle is open to visitors from the beginning of March until the end of October and is available for private hire throughout the year. The castle also caters for weddings, receptions and private events. The castle was built between 1378 and 1399 by Richard le Scrope, Lord Chancellor. The castle is still owned by the descendants of the Scrope family. In 1569 Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner for a year before being transferred to Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire. During the Civil War the Scrope family sided with the Royalists. In 1645, Bolton Castle was held under siege by the Parliamentary for six months before surrendering. The castle was partially destroyed, leaving only the west range and south-west tower undamaged. The Arts Bolton Castle was used as the location for a number of television and movie productions including Ivanhoe, Elizabeth, Heartbeat, and All Creatures Great and Small.

Helmsley Castle is situated in the market town of Helmsley on the outskirts of the North Yorkshire Moors. The medieval ruins of Helmsley Castle are surrounded by banks and huge double ditch cut from solid rock. The site is surrounded by a low curtain wall with circular towers, a tall D shaped tower on the eastern side of the inner bailey; thought to have been a keep, and two barbican entrances. Facilities The castle is open daily between March and October from 10am and Thursday to Sunday from November to February. Visitors to the castle can take an audio tour from the visitors centre or visit the mansion range which has a hands on exhibition. On display are also a wide range of exhibits and finds from the Civil War from tableware to canon balls, and an exhibition showing the different aspects of life within the castle from domestic, social and military positions. The first castle on the site was around 1120 and was constructed of wood and in 1186 Robert de Roos, a relative of the original owner started work on converting the castle into a stone building. The castle remained in the de Roos family until 1478 and between them the family members were responsible for building the castle's, towers, gateways, chapel and defenses. They were also responsible for building a dividing wall between the north and the south of the site. In the southern part they built a new hall and the east tower in an area used as exclusively for the family; now granted the title 'Lords of Helmsley', and the northern half with the old hall was used by the castle's stewards and officials. In 1478 the castle was sold to Richard, Duke of Gloucester; later Richard III, although he preferred to stay at Middleham Castle. After his death the castle was given back to the de Roos family and it was under Edward de Roos that the old hall on the north side was converted into a Tudor mansion and the chapel into a kitchen, linking the two by a covered walkway. He demolished the new hall and converted the south barbican to comfortable living quarters. The castle suffered damage during the Civil War and was slighted with much of the eastern tower, its walls and gates being destroyed. The castle then passed through more hands including those of the Lord Mayor of London, Charles Duncombe in 1678, and after being handed down again though his family was left uninhabited to decay. The castle is now under the care of English Heritage.