Pontefract Castle: History of England's Most Fearsome Fort - Exploring Castles Exploring Castles Home » UK » England » Pontefract Castle Pontefract Castle: History of England’s Most Fearsome Fort Pontefract Castle, in Yorkshire, England (or Pomfret Castle, as it was known at its time) used to be the most important, and most terrifying castle in the whole of Early Modern England. However, visitors today would find this unbelievable to understand. Nowadays, Pontefract is absolutely ruined, and it’s incredibly difficult to visualise this vast castle as it once was. Nonetheless, this mighty stone castle was a real force to be reckoned with – and had such a feared reputation that it was even mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. It’s undoubtedly the most important castle in the whole of Yorkshire, England, and is well-worth your time for a visit. Here are six highlights from Pontefract’s long and incredible history. Pontefract Castle is generally ruinous. These tower segments are the largest remaining constructions. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). 6.

Pontefract Castle has a blood-stained history: of death, decay and dark dungeons Pontefract Castle has attracted a phenomenal amount of death, decay and misery over the years. As an ominous precursor, the entire place was constructed on an old Anglo-Saxon burial ground. In addition to this, the castle was the spot of Richard II’s infamous ‘murder’ (see our next point below), and hundreds of soldiers were killed or imprisoned here during the Wars of the Roses. A different angle of the remaining two towers of Pontefract Castle. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). To add to the general feeling of despair, Pontefract has a huge and oppressive network of dungeons – hollowed out of the bedrock 35 feet below the castle. Prisoners were trapped in the winding, pitch-black pits for weeks at a time, and scratched their names into the walls during their miserable imprisonment. You can see the prisoner’s names, scratched into the dungeon walls, when you visit the castle today. This is part of the tour to the ‘magazines’ and armour cellars – these cellars were originally the dungeons.

Pontefract was the site of some dark moments in history – in 1311, Edward II gained the upper hand on his own cousin, Thomas Earl of Lancaster, and had him executed in the castle- along with beheading 20 other rebels. It was in Pontefract too that Richard III condemned Sir Richard Grey, Sir Thomas Vaughan and Earl Rivers to execution, as their faction-fighting endangered his rule. These three were killed in 1483 – the same year of the alleged ‘murder’ of the two young princes in the Tower of London. Other unfortunate events occurred in the castle. It was the place where Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard, began her affair with Thomas Culpepper. Both were eventually beheaded for their ill-advised liaison. 5. And Pontefract Castle was the spot where King Richard II was murdered – which served as inspiration for Shakespeare King Richard II was certainly held in Pontefract Castle in 1399. We don’t know exactly what happened to him, but most sources think that he was either intentionally neglected until he starved to death; or was cruelly murdered in the dungeons.

A couple of scholars have suggested the dungeon of the Keep to be the spot of his murder- a tiny, pitch-black space seeping with the cold and damp. A broader view of the castle grounds, showing the extent of the ruins (and, er, a power station). Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). Writing in the late 1500s, Shakespeare used Pontefract Castle (at his time, Pomfret Castle) as a setting in two of his history plays, Richard II and Richard III. In Richard II, the King is dragged to Pomfret Castle, where he ruminates on his life when imprisoned in the dungeons – and is killed as the play ends. In Shakespeare’s Richard III, Rivers is dragged to the castle, and describes it thus: III.iii.9. O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison! Fatal and ominous to noble peers! Within the guilty closure of thy walls Richard the Second here was hack’d to death. Although we don’t know the exact facts about Richard II’s death, the most important point is that Pontefract Castle was notorious – and widely feared – for its bloody reputation. 4.

Once a magnificent palace — although that’s hard to imagine today It’s truly hard to imagine nowadays, but Pontefract Castle was once a magnificent and extravagant palace – the jewel of Yorkshire. Pontefract was a vast stone castle, and it’s thought that it enjoyed the protection of two-outer walled baileys. Effectively, it was a concentric castle design. Pontefract was also crowned with around 10 internal towers. Some of these towers climbed to vast heights – the King’s Tower and Queen’s Tower were thought to be around 20m high. A primary source – a print depicting the castle in the 1500s. Note the huge size and scale, that’s illustrated in the drawing. Pontefract Castle was equipped for extravagant entertaining. The kitchen had no less than four fireplaces, a bakery with two ovens, and the scale and an incomparable variety of accommodation in the numerous towers. It would truly have been a castle fit for royalty – it had the considerable distinction of hosting Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Charles I during their time. 3. Pontefract Castle was the last remaining stronghold in the English Civil War – Holding Out for Charles I, even after his execution!

During the Civil War itself, Pontefract Castle was besieged on three different occasions – and fell from Royalist hands to the Parliamentarians, and back again to the Royalists. These battles and sieges were universally hard-fought. Oliver Cromwell described the castle in one of his letters: “[Pontefract Castle is] well watered; situated on rock in every part of it; and therefore difficult to mine. The walls are very thick and high, with strong towers; and if battered, very difficult to access, by reason of the depth and steepness of the graft.” Oliver Cromwell, writing during the Civil War One of the strangest moments in Pontefract’s history occurred during 1648. The castle had fallen to the Parliamentarians, but the Royalists, lead by Colonel John Morris, managed to dupe their way into the castle by pretending to be bed-collectors. Distraction complete, they then besieged and overcame the castle. Odd, huh?! Another primary source – a painting of the castle from around 1620-1640, so just before the Civil War. The painter was Flemish Alexander Keirincx.

It depicts a phenomenal castle, that’s hard to reconcile to today’s ruins. Pontefract Castle was, remarkably, the last castle to surrender to the victorious Parliamentarians at the end of the Civil War. In fact, the castle remained staunchly Royalist until the war was unquestionably won by the Parliamentarians. Charles I was executed in January 1649, but the castle still held out until March that year, living in hope of some Royalist miracle. Ever the optimists, the Royalists holding out in the castle declared dead Charles I’s son, Charles II, to be the true King of England – even whilst Oliver Cromwell held power. 2. A Castle Intentionally Destroyed by Parliament (and the will of the locals!) Oliver Cromwell hated Pontefract Castle, due all the trouble it had caused him during the civil war. Resultantly, he wanted the place destroyed at the first opportunity. In an odd twist, rather than the Parliamentarians just slighting (intentionally destroying) the castle’s defence, Cromwell placed pressure on the adjacent town of Pontefract. He asked the townspeople to petition Parliament, begging for the castle to be demolished.

That way, he could get the job done properly – and the thing entirely wiped off the face of the earth. The neighbours were all too pleased to have the castle demolished, as Pontefract Castle had been long-time a magnet for trouble, death and despair. Armies pillaging the castle had generally pillaged the town en route – stealing provisions and assaulting local women – and so the townspeople were more than happy to see the castle destroyed. The ruinous remains of the castle gatehouse – one of the few things spared by the demolition. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). Consequently, three days after the castle finally surrendered at the end of the civil war, Parliament set out to destroy the place. The price of destruction was about £800, and men set out systematically dismantling the entire castle over a couple of weeks. The only place to be left would be the Barbican. 1. A Store For Liquorice: Pontefract Castle at the Brink of Historical Extinction After the destruction of Pontefract Castle in 1648, the ruins decayed over the centuries.

In Victorian times, the castle grounds were bizarrely used to grow liquorice – and parts of the old castle ruins were excavated to become liquorice stores! That’s why modern day Pontefract Cakes have a picture of a castle on them. In recent history, unhappily, the castle has fallen into even worse repair. Under a lack-of-care from the cash-strapped local town council, the ailing old castle was plagued by drug-dealers and graffiti artists, transforming one of England’s most important historical sites into a depressed-urban battle-field of assaults, attempted assaults, and even manslaughter on the site. Happily, however, things are looking up. The foundations of St Clement’s Chapel, built within the castle walls. Credit: Tim Green, CreativeCommons (CC BY 2.0). Pontefract has received grants from English Heritage, local bodies and also the British National Lottery. The aim is to repair, improve and renovate the castle and its visitor centres, making it fit for the 21st century. There’s extensive work now going on, and things are looking rosy for the castle’s continued survival.

Pontefract remains as one of the most interesting of all the castles of England, and would have been one of the most impressive of all stone castles if it had survived intact to this day. Visiting Pontefract Castle About 50,000 people visit Pontefract Castle every year The site is now secured at night, but access in the daytimes is free There’s a small charge for a quick tour of the dark ammunition cellars There is a visitors’ centre with exhibits, information, a gift shop and tea shop. If you’ve enjoyed reading about Pontefract Castle, I think you’ll also enjoy reading more about Dover Castle , one of England’s most phenomenal fortresses. Or you might like to know more about the other castles in historic York , which is just a short drive from Pontefract. You might also like.... Pontefract Castle described in 1832 REPRODUCED FROM THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION. Vol. XIX. No. 531. JANUARY 28, 1832.

An engraving depicting Pontefract Castle in the year 1648 Pontefract, a place of considerable note in English history, is situated about two miles southwest from Ferrybridge, nine miles nearly east from Wakefield, and fifteen miles northwest from Doncaster, in Yorkshire. The origin of the town is unknown; and the etymology of its name has been a matter of dispute, in which figures a monkish legend ascribing the name of Ponsfractus, or Pontefract, to the breaking of a bridge, and the fall of many persons into the river Aire, who were miraculously saved by St. William, Archbishop of York. The river Ouse and the city of York, however, put in a stronger claim as the scene of this miracle, and unfortunately for Pontefract, the town is so named in charters of fifty-three years' date before the miracle is pretended to have been performed. Still the etymology is referable to the breaking down of "some bridge," (pons, bridge; fractus, broken,) but this unravelment is not antiquarian.

Camden says, that in the Saxon times, the name of this town was Kirkby, which was changed by the Normans to Pontefract, because of a broken bridge that was there. But as there is no river within two miles of the place, this bridge appears to have been built over the Wash, which lies about a quarter of a mile to the east of the Castle. Other researches prove Pontefract to have been a secondary and subordinate Roman station. The history of the Castle is, of course, involved in that of the manor. The town is stated to have been a burgh in the time of Edward the Confessor; but how long it had enjoyed this privilege is uncertain. After the Conquest, this manor, with 150 others, or the greatest part of so many in Yorkshire, besides ten in Nottinghamshire, and four in Lincolnshire, were given by William to Hildebert, or Ilbert de Lacy, one of his Norman followers, who built the Castle. The work occupied twelve years, and it was finished in 1080.

The labour and expense of its erection was so great, that no person unless in the possession of a princely fortune, could have completed a work of such magnitude. Hildebert was succeeded by his son Robert, commonly called Robert de Pontefract, from his being born at that town. Robert enjoyed his vast possessions in peace during the reign of William Rufus but after the accession of Henry I he, with more ambition than prudence, joined with Robert, Duke of Normandy, the King's brother, who claimed the crown of England. In consequence of this transaction, Robert de Lacy was banished the realm, and the castle and honour of Pontefract were given by the King to Henry Traverse, and afterwards to Henry De-laval. Robert de Lacy was however, restored after a few years exile and the property continued in the Lacy family till the year 1193, when another Robert de Lacy dying without issue, the estate and honour of Pontefract devolved on his uterine sister Aubrey de Lisours, who carried these estates of the Lacys by marriage to Richard Fitz-Eustace, constable of Chester.

Thence they descended to John Fitz-Eustace, who accompanied Richard I in his crusade, and is said to have died at Tyre in Palestine. Roger, his eldest son, also in the crusade, succeeded to his honour and estates. He was present with Richard at the memorable siege of Acre. On his return to England he was the first of his family that took the name of Lacy, in which Pontefract Castle continued till 1310, when Henry de Lacy, through default of male issue, left his possessions to his daughter and heiress, Alice, who was married to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster; and, in case of a failure of issue from that marriage, he entailed them on the King and his heirs. The Earl of Lancaster, it will be remembered, became embroiled with Edward II and his minion Gaveston, who partly through the interference of Lancaster, was beheaded at Warwick after a siege in Scarborough Castle. The King swore vengeance for the death of his favourite, which led this weak sovereign into a long series of dissensionï¿½s with the barons, at the head of whom, was the Earl of Lancaster.

Both parties now flew to arms, but Lancaster soon found himself ill supported by his compeers, and marching northward for reinforcements from the celebrated Bruce, King of Scotland, the King in the meantime, sent the Earl of Surrey and Kent to besiege the castle of Pontefract, which surrendered at the first summons. Lancaster was next closely pursued by the king with great superiority of numbers. The Earl, endeavouring to rally his troops, was taken prisoner, with ninety-five barons and knights, and carried to the castle of Pontefract, where he was imprisoned in a tower which Leland says he had newly made towards the abbey, This tower was square: its wall of great strength, being 10-1/2 feet thick; nor was there any other entrance into the interior than by a hole or trap-door in the floor of the turret: so that the prisoner must have been let down into this abode of darkness, from whence there could be no possible mode of escape; the room was twenty-five feet square.

A few days after, the King being at Pontefract ordered him to be arraigned in the hall of the castle, before a small number of peers, among whom were the Spencerï¿½s, his mortal enemies. The earl was condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered; but the punishment was changed to decapitation. After sentence was passed, he said, "Shall I die without answer?" He was not, however, permitted to speak; but a certain Gascoign took him away, and having put an old hood over his head, set him on a lean mare without a bridle. Being attended by a Dominican friar as his confessor, he was carried out of the town amidst the insults of the people; and there beheaded. Thus fell Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, the first Prince of the Blood, being uncle to Edward II who condemned him to death. Several of his adherents were hanged at Pontefract.

The next royal blood that stained Pontefract castle was that of King Richard II who was here murdered or starved to death; though there is a tradition that it was merely given out that Richard had starved himself to death, and that he escaped from Pontefract to Mull, whence he shortly proceeded to the mainland of Scotland, where, for nineteen years, he was entertained in an honourable but secret captivity. The matter remains in tragic darkness. In the succeeding reign of Henry IV, Richard Scroope, Archbishop of York, being taken prisoner, was in Pontefract castle, condemned to death. Next in the calendar of atrocities committed within these drear walls, were the murders of Anthony Woodville, Earl Rivers; Richard, Lord Grey; Sir Thomas Vaughan; and Sir Richard Hawse, in 1483; by Richard III., whom Shakspeare makes to whine forth: O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison! Fatal and ominous to noble peers! Within the guilty closure of thy walls, Richard II here was hack'd to death; And for more slander to thy dismal seat, We give to thee our guiltless blood to drink.

We may now pass over matters of minor importance in the history of Pontefract to the time of Charles I. In the King's contest with his Parliament, this was the last fortress that held out for the unfortunate monarch. At Christmas 1644, Sir Thomas Fairfax laid siege to the castle and on January 19, following, after an incessant cannonade of three days, a breach was made: the brave garrison would not surrender; the besiegers mined, but the besieged counter-mined, and the work of slaughter went on till the garrison were greatly reduced. At length the Parliamentarians were attacked and repulsed by a reinforcement of Royalists from Oxford, and thus ended the first siege of Pontefract. In March 1645, the enemy again took possession of the town, and after three months cannonade, the garrison being reduced almost to a state of famine, surrendered the castle by an honourable capitulation on June 20. Sir Thomas Fairfax was appointed governor, and he, thinking the royal party to be subdued, appointed a colonel as his substitute, with a garrison of 100 men.

The royalists next by stratagem recovered Pontefract, of which Sir John Digby was appointed governor. The third and final siege of this fine castle commenced in October 1648. General Rainsborough was appointed to the command of the army, but he being previously intercepted at Doncaster, Oliver Cromwell undertook to conduct the siege. After having remained a month before the fortress, without making any impression on its massy walls, Cromwell joined the grand army under Fairfax, and General Lambert, being appointed commander in chief of the forces before the castle, arrived at Pontefract on the 4th of December. The ENGRAVING represents the castle precisely at this period. It is copied from a large print taken from a drawing found in the possession of a descendant of the Fairfax family of Denton; in one angle is the following memorandum: "Governor Morris commanded in the Castle. General Lambert commanded the Siege, being appointed thereto on the death of General Rainsborough, who was intercepted and killed at Doncaster, by a party from the Castle, as he was going to take command." General Lambert raised new works, and vigorously pushed the siege; but the besieged held out.

On January 30, 1649, the King was beheaded; and the news no sooner reached Pontefract, than the royalist garrison proclaimed his son Charles II and made a vigorous and destructive sally against their enemies. The Parliamentarians, however, prevailed, and on March 25, 1649, the garrison being reduced from 500 or 600 to 100 men, surrendered by capitulation. Six of the principal Royalists were excepted from mercy: two escaped, but were retaken and executed at York; the third was killed in a sortie; and the three others concealing themselves among the ruins of the castle, escaped after the surrender; and two of the last lived to see the Restoration. This third siege was the most destructive to the castle: the tremendous artillery had shattered its massive walls; and its demolition was completed by order of Parliament. Within two months after its reduction, the buildings were unroofed, and all the materials sold. Thus was this princely fortress reduced to a heap of ruins. The Castle of Pontefract was built on an elevated rock, commanding extensive and picturesque views.

The north-west prospect takes in the beautiful vale along which flows the Aire, skirted by woods and plantations. It is bounded only by the hills of Craven. The north and east prospect is more extensive, but the scenery is not equally striking and impressive. The towers of York Minster are distinctly seen and the prospect is only bounded by the limits of vision. To the east, while the eye follows the course of the Aire towards the Humber, the fertility of the country, the spires of churches, and two considerable hills, Brayton Barf, and Hambleton Haugh, which rise in the midst of a plain, and one of which is covered with wood, increase the beauty of the scene. The southeast view includes part of the counties of Lincoln and Nottingham. To the south and southwest, the towering hills of Derbyshire, stretching towards Lancashire, form the horizon, while the foreground is a picturesque country variegated with handsome residences. The Castle, by its situation as well as by its structure, was rendered almost impregnable. It was not commanded by any contiguous hills, and it could only be taken by blockade. By referring to the Engraving, the reader will better understand this defence.

The outworks are there distinctly shown with the respective posts and guards: indeed, these lines exhibit a fine specimen of fortification. The quadrangular enclosure on the crest of the hill, in the lower part of the Engraving, represents Lamberts' Fort Royal. To the right is the approach to the castle by the south gate to the barbican, crossed by a wall, with the middle gate, with the east gate at the extremity of the line. We next approach the ballium, or castle yard through the Porter's Lodge of two towers with a portcullis. The wall of the castle yard, it will be seen, has a parapet, and is flanked with towers, and the chapel to the right of the Lodge. East and West of the yard is seen the semi-circular moat or ditch; and on an eminence near the western extremity of the ballium, stands the keep or round tower, the walls of which are said to have been twenty-one feet thick. The staterooms are on the second storey. The dungeons of the towers are terrific even in description: one was about 15 feet deep, and scarcely six feet square, without any admission of light.

The whole area occupied by the Pontefract fortress seems to have been about 7 acres, now converted into garden ground. The church seen within the work is that of All Saints, or Allhallows, a Gothic structure, probably of the time of Henry III, and almost destroyed in the sieges of the castle. Pontefract must be numbered in our recollections of childhood; since here were grown whole fields of liquorice root, from the extract of which are made Pontefract Cakes, impressed with the arms - three lions passant gardant, surmounted with a helmet, full-forward, open faced, and garde-visure. We have likewise seen them impressed with the celebrated fortress, and the motto "Post mortem patris pro filio," - after the death of the father - for the son - denoting the loyalty of the Pontefract Royalists in proclaiming Charles II at the death of his father.

Reproduced from King Richard II | Britroyals Born: January 6, 1367 at Bordeaux, France Parents: Edward, the Black Prince, and Joan of Kent Relation to Elizabeth II: 16th great-granduncle House of: Plantagenet Ascended to the throne: June 22, 1377 aged 10 years Crowned: July 16, 1377 at Westminster Abbey Married: (1) Anne of Bohemia, (2) Isabella, nine year old daughter of Charles VI of France Children: None Died: February 14, 1400 at Pontefract Castle, Yorkshire (starved to death), aged 33 years, 1 month, and 8 days Buried at: Langley reburied Westminster Reigned for: 22 years, 7 months, and 23 days Succeeded by: his cousin Henry IV King of England from 1377, effectively from 1389, son of Edward the Black Prince.

He reigned in conflict with Parliament; they executed some of his associates in 1388, and he executed some of the opposing barons in 1397, whereupon he made himself absolute. Two years later, forced to abdicate in favour of Henry IV, he was jailed and died. In 1381 Richard was faced with the Peasants' Revolt, a result of the imposition of the Poll Tax in 1380. The leader of the Revolt, Watt Tyler, was stabbed and killed at Smithfield by the Lord Mayor of London, fearing for the safety of the king. Richard's apparent courage in facing the mobs gathered at Mile End and Smithfield also contributed to the failure of the uprising. Richard was born in Bordeaux. He succeeded his grandfather Edward III when only ten, the government being in the hands of a council of regency. His fondness for favourites resulted in conflicts with Parliament, and in 1388 the baronial party, headed by the Duke of Gloucester, had many of his friends executed.

Richard recovered control in 1389, and ruled moderately until 1397, when he had Gloucester murdered and his other leading opponents executed or banished, and assumed absolute power. In 1399 his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford (later Henry IV), returned from exile to lead a revolt; Richard II was deposed by Parliament and imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he died of starvation. King Richard II's Signature Pontefract Castle in West Yorkshire PONTEFRACT CASTLE A Brief Introduction A recent archaeological survey has discovered that the earliest occupation of the castle site was probably back in the late Iron Age and Roman Periods though the earliest remains that were discovered, date from the Saxon Period. At that time, the castle area was occupied by a cemetery and possibly a Church which was later incorporated within the Norman Motte and Bailey Castle. In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy conquered England by defeating King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. He became William I and rewarded his barons by giving them each parts of the country. Ilbert de Lacy was offered a large area of Yorkshire including the area now known as Pontefract.

A castle was first built around 1070 by Ilbert de Lacy, soon after the Norman conquest and comprised of a wooden fortification which over the next century was gradually rebuilt in stone. With the death of Henry de Lacy, the last of the great Lords of Pontefract in 1310, it was Henry's daughter Alice who succeeded him, as both of Henry's sons had met their death in separate earlier accidents. Alice married Thomas, Earl of Lancaster in 1311 and their marriage transferred the Lacy estates to the House of Lancaster. Thomas was a grandson of Henry III and during his time at Pontefract castle, the fortification was further strengthened. At the time, England was in general disorder and after the English, under King Edward II, were routed by the Scottish armies under Robert I at Bannockburn in 1314, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster became regarded as the most powerful man in the country. Thomas opposed his cousin, King Edward II and the favourites that surrounded him at court. In 1322, Thomas challenged his cousin at the battle of Boroughbridge but was defeated and brought back to Pontefract where he was tried for treason and later executed.

Thomas's land was restored to his heirs and became part of the Duchy of Lancaster on its creation in 1351. Pontefract Castle depicted during the 14th century One of the castles most famous victims was King Richard II. After an era of royal restrictions and economic hardship following the black death and legislation passed by parliament limiting wages without regulating prices, there was a Peasants Revolt in 1381 against the government policies of John of Gaunt. John of Gaunt was of Royal birth, his father being Edward III and his brother, Edward, The Black Prince. When Henry, Duke of Lancaster died in 1361, his estates including Pontefract Castle, passed to John of Gaunt who was the husband of Henry's daughter Blanche. John of Gaunt became guardian to his nephew Richard II, (the son of the Black Prince) and virtually ran the country. During the peasants revolt he took refuge within Pontefract castle. King Richard's unwise generosity towards his favourites during these times of unrest, led Thomas, Duke of Gloucester and four other magnates to form the 'Lord's Appellant' who convicted five of Richard's closest advisors for treason.

In 1397, Richard arrested three of the five Lords and sentenced them to death and banished the other two. One of those exiled was Henry Bolingbroke, the eldest son of John of Gaunt, who was originally banished for 10 years. On the death of John of Gaunt in 1399, King Richard II confiscated the vast Lancastrian estates which were Henry Bollingbroke's inheritance. In 1399, Richard travelled to Ireland allowing Henry Bollingbroke to land at Ravenspur, Yorkshire, in July, to reclaim his confiscated title of Duke of Lancaster and with it, Lord of Pontefract. Taking advantage of the widespread dissatisfaction with Richard's rule, Richard was forced to surrender to him on his return from Ireland and abdicate. He was eventually imprisoned in Pontefract Castle where it is uncertain whether he died through general neglect or was murdered by the Kings supporters. Pontefract Castle thus became a Royal Castle when Henry's claim to the throne was confirmed by Parliament and he became King Henry IV in October 1399.

The Castle itself was further modified and strengthened by the Lancastrian Kings throughout the 14th and 15th centuries until it became one of the foremost royal castles in the North of England. Pontefract also became one of the largest and wealthiest towns in the West Riding. The castle was used to house important prisoners and during the Wars of the Roses it was used as a Lancastrian stronghold when in 1460 the Lancastrian Army came from Pontefract to the Battle of Wakefield. Pontefract Castle depicted during the 17th century The 16th century saw the castle fall into relative disuse until the start of the Civil War where it was held for the King and underwent three sieges in 1644, 1645 and 1648. The town suffered great damage before the castle was finally surrendered in 1649 when it was believed to be the last remaining Royalist stronghold to fall to Cromwell's armies. Under an Act of Parliament, put forward by the local townspeople who had suffered greatly throughout all the fighting, the castle was ordered to be destroyed and it was duly reduced to the remains we see today.

Pontefract Castle is open to visitors for most of the year and the WMDC Wakefield Museums and Arts website gives further details and opening hours. Castle Learning Center Medieval Kings Medieval Kings William I (1066-1087) William "the Conqueror" arrived in England with 12,000 troops for the purpose of invasion. He succeeded and was crowned king. William built more than 40 castles in Britain. Born: Falaise Castle, Normandy, 1027/8, illegitimate son of Robert of Normandy and Arlette of Conteville. Married: Matilda of Flanders, Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Eu, Normandy, 1050/52, 10 children. Acceded: 25 December 1066. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 25 December 1066. Died: Rouen, Normandy, 9 September 1087, aged 59/60. Fell from his horse while besieging the French city of Nantes. William II (1087-1100) The king loved hunting more than ruling.

He was killed by a stray arrow during a hunt. His court was infamous for wearing bright and outrageous costumes. Born: Normandy, 1056/60, third son of William I and Matilda of Flanders. Acceded: 9 September 1087. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 26 September 1087. Died: New Forest, Hampshire, 2 August 1100, aged 40/44. Killed by an arrow fired by Walter Tyrell. Henry I (1100-1135) Many new stone castles were built by him, or with permission from him. The great tower was the focal point of most of the castles. He introduced a new spirit of co-operation between the Normans and Anglo-Saxon people. Born: Selby, Yorkshire, September 1068, fourth son of William I and Matilda of Flanders. Married: Edith of Scotland, 11 November 1100, 4 children. Adela of Louvain, 29 January 1121. Acceded: 2 August 1100.

Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 5 August 1100. Died: Rouen, Normandy, 1/2 December 1135, aged 67. Died of food poisoning. Stephen (1135-54) Hundreds of private castles were built during his reign, and a breakdown of royal authority occurred. Born: Blois, France, 1096/7, son of Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela of Flanders. Married: Matelda of Boulonge, 1125, 5 children. Acceded: 22 December 1135. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 26 December 1135. Died: Dover, Kent, 25 October 1154, aged 57/58. Henry II (1154-1189) Henry found that royal castles were outnumbered by baronial castles 5 to 1 and seized every castle in England. Many private castles were destroyed during his reign.

Born: Le Mans, Anjou, 5 March 1133, son of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Matilda. Married: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Bordeaux Cathedral, 18 May 1152, 8 children. Acceded: 19 December 1154. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 19 December 1154. Died: Chinon Castle, France, 6 July 1189, aged 56. Richard I (1189-1199) Much too busy with the crusades to worry about ruling England. He brought new castle design techniques to the kingdom, and introduced the round tower. Born: Beaumont Palace, Oxford, 8 September 1157, third son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Married: Berengaria of Navarre, Chapel of St George, Limassol, Cyprus, 12 May 1191. Acceded: 2 September 1189. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 2 September 1189. Died: Chalus, France, 6 April 1199.

Mortally wounded. John (1199-1216) Spent a lot of money building and strengthening castles. A lot of moated manors were built during his reign. Born: Beaumont Palace, Oxford, 24 December 1166, fourth son of Henry II and Elenor. Married: Isabella of Gloucester, 29 August 1189, no children. Isabella of Angouleme, 24 August 1200, 5 children. Acceded: 27 May 1199. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 27 May 1199. Died: Newark Castle, Lincolnshire, 18 October 1216, aged 49. Henry III (1216-1272) Introduced glass in many castle halls and other chambers. He was the master of nearly 60 castles during his reign and introduced advance design and improvement for castle gatehouses. Born: Winchester, 1 October 1207, first son of John and Isabella.

Married: Eleanor of Provence, 14 January 1236, 9 children. Acceded: 28 October 1216. Crowned: Gloucester Cathedral, 28 October 1216. Died: Palace of Westminster, 16 November 1272. Edward I (1272-1307) "The king who built castles." His reign marked the climax of castle building in Britain. Mighty stone fortresses were built in Wales, and many more throughout the kingdom were strengthened. Born: Westminster, 17/18 June 1239, son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. Married: Eleanor of Castile, Burgos, Spain, October 1254, 16 children. Margaret of France, Canterbury, 8/10 September 1299, three children. Acceded: 20 November 1272. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 19 August 1274. Died: Burgh-on-Sands, Cumbria, 7 July 1307, aged 68.

Edward II (1307-1327) Many improvements were made to the castles during his reign. He was murdered at Berkeley Castle in 1327, by a red hot poker being inserted into a body cavity. Born: Caernarfon Castle, 25 April 1284, fourth son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. Married: Isabella of France, Boulogne, France, 25/28 January 1308, 4 children. Acceded: 8 July 1307. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 24/25 April 1308. Deposed: 25 January 1327. Died: Berkeley Castle, 21 September 1327, aged 43. Murdered. Edward III (1327-1377) The king was in a state of panic over the fear of a French invasion. Great expenditures occurred for strengthening castles and town defences. Many owners of private houses were granted licences to crenellate.

Born: Windsor Castle, 13 November 1312, son of Edward II and Isabella of France. Married: Philippa of Hainault, York, 24 January 1328, 13 children. Acceded: 25 January 1327. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 1 February, 1327 Died: Surrey, 21 June 1377, aged 64. Senile Dementia. Richard II (1377-1399) He reigned in conflict with Parliament. They executed some of his associates in 1388, and he executed some of the opposing barons in 1397. Much too busy executing people to contribute to castle building. Imprisoned in Pontefract Castle, where he died mysteriously. Born: Bordeaux, France, 6 January 1367, son of Edward the Black Prince and Joan of Kent.Married: Ann of Bohemia, Westminster, 14/20/22 January 1382. Isabella of France, France, 4 November, 1396.

Acceded: 22 June 1377. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 16 July 1377. Deposed: 19 August 1399. Died: Pontefract Castle, 6 January or 14 February 1400, aged 33. Imprisoned. Henry IV (1399-1413) A very weak ruler. This led to great turmoil and the creation of robber-barons. Corruption was wide spread. Born: 3 April 1367, son of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster. Married: Mary de Bohun, 1380/81, 7 children. Joan of Navarre, 7 February, 1403. Acceded: September 1399. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 13 October 1399. Died: Westminster, London, 20 March 1413, aged 56. Henry V (1413-1422) The eldest son of Henry IV.

Revived the Hundred Years' War by invading France, defeating the French at Agincourt. A popular king for his military prowess and his interest in the poor. Born: Monmouth Castle, 9 August or 16 September 1387, son of Henry IV and Mary de Bohun. Married: Catherine of France, Troyes, France, 2/3 June 1420, 1 son. Acceded: 21 March 1413. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 9 April 1413. Died: Vincennes Castle, France, 1 September 1422, aged 34 or 35. Dysentery. Henry VI (1422-1461) (1470-1471) Incompetent and mentally unstable and during his reign all English possessions in France, except Calais, were lost. Warfare broke out between the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions. Deposed by Edward IV in 1460. Born: Windsor Castle, 6 December 1421, son of Henry V and Catherine of France.

Married: Margaret of Anjou, Tichfield Abbey, Hants, 23 April 1445, 1 son. Acceded: 1 September 1422. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 5/6 November 1429. Deposed: 4 March, 1461. Restored: 30 October, 1470. Deposed: 11 April 1471. Died: Tower of London, 27 May 1471, aged 49. Murdered. Edward IV (1461-1470) Son of Richard, Duke of York. He defeated Henry VI in the Wars of the Roses to become king. Henry was restored to the throne in 1470. Defeated Henry VI at Tewkesbury in 1471, and this time Henry was put to death. Born: Rouen France, 28 April 1442, first son of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. Married: Elizabeth Woodville, 1 May 1464, 10 children.

Acceded: 4 March 1461. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 28 June 1461. Died: Westminster, 9 April 1483, aged 40. Edward V (1483-1483) Son of Edward IV. Acceded to the throne at the age of 12, but was deposed by his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester and confined with his brother to the Tower of London. Both died there in the same year. Born: Westminster Abbey, 1/2/4 November 1470, son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. Acceded: 9 April 1483. Deposed: 25 June 1483 Died: September 1483, aged 12. Murdered at the Tower of London? Richard III (1483-1485) He gained control of his nephew Edward V and had himself proclaimed king. Edward and his brother were murdered, probably on Richard's orders. He was a capable ruler, but the suspicion that he had murdered Edward V and his brother undermined his popularity.

In 1485 Henry Tudor defeated and killed Richard at the battle of Bosworth Field. Born: Fotheringhay Castle, Northants, 2 October, 1452, third son of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. Married: Anne Neville, Westminster Abbey, 12 July 1472, 1 son. Acceded: 26 June 1483. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 6 July 1483. Died: Bosworth Field, Leicestershire, 22 August 1485, aged 32. Henry VII (1485-1509) Gained the throne by defeating Richard III at Bosworth Field in 1485. He increased royal power and the prosperity of the country during his reign. Also called Henry Tudor because he inaugurated the Tudor dynasty. Born: Pembroke Castle, Wales, 28 January 1457, son of Edward Tudor and Margaret Beaufort. Married: Elizabeth of York, Westminster, 18 January 1486, 8 children.

Acceded: 22 August 1485. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 30 October 1485. Died: Richmond Palace, Surrey, 21 April 1509, aged 52. Henry VIII (1509-1547) The king built many coastal forts to guard against an invasion scare during 1538-43. Many historians compare his castle building programme to that of Edward I. Born: Greenwich, 28 June 1491, second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth. Married: Catherine of Aragon, 1509, 1 daughter. Anne Boleyn, 1533, 1 Daughter. Jane Seymour, 1536, 1 son. Anne of Cleves, 1540. Catherine Howard, 1540. Catherine Parr, 1543 Acceded: 22 April 1509. Crowned: Westminster Abbey, 24 June 1509. Died: Whitehall, 28 January 1547, aged 55.

TimeRef - Medieval and Middle Ages History Timelines - Pontefract Castle Details Directions via Google Maps ontefract Castle is located in the town of Pontefract in West Yorkshire to the east of Leeds. It is most famous for being the place that Richard II, the King of England, was murdered in 1400. Originally a Saxon fort, the castle was redeveloped by the Normans after the Conquest. Only the motte and low sections of the walls remain of what once a very large and imposing structure. The most secure part of the castle was the keep located in the south-west corner. Known as the Round Tower it was quatrefoil in shape, having four lobes surrounding a circular interior. More towers were constructed around the curtain walls, including the Piper, Gascoigne, Constable, Queen's and King's Towers. The entrance to the castle was via a large gatehouse on the southern side. This gatehouse was protected by a large barbican forcing any would-be attackers out into the open if they approached. At the western side of the barbican was a large square tower. Within the castle's bailey stood many buildings including a hall and chapel.

Pontefract Castle became the property of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster due to his marriage to Alice de Lacy, the daughter of Henry de Lacy. This was at the time when King Edward II was opposed by the barons because of the his obsession with his favourite Piers Gaveston. In 1312 Gaveston was executed by the barons and Lancaster soon afterwards effectively ruled England. At the Battle of Boroughbridge Lancaster was defeated and captured by Edward's army and taken back to Pontefract Castle and executed outside its walls. In 1362, John of Gaunt the son of King Edward III became the Earl of Lancaster due to his marriage a few years earlier to Blanche of Lancaster and became the owner of Pontefract Castle. In 1400 Pontefract Castle was the prison for King Richard II and is thought to be where he was murdered. In 1536, during the reign of King Henry VIII, the castle became the base for an uprising known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. The rebels were unhappy with the King's religious interference.

The castle's final important moment in history came during English Civil wars when it was captured by Parliamentarian troops and orders were given to destroy it. Pontefract Castle Key Facts Pontefract Castle Haunted 1 Comment Pontefract Castle is in the town of Pontefract about 15 miles from Leeds, is one of the five towns in the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. The name ‘Pontefract’ came from the Latin words ‘pons’ meaning ‘bridge’ and ‘fractus’ meaning ‘broken’. So ‘Pontefract’ means ‘broken bridge’. It is possible that the bridge in question was the one that crossed Wash Burn, which is a small stream on the north-eastern perimeter of Pontefract. The castle began as a wooden structure which was strengthened with stone over time. Eventually it became one of the strongest castles in the British Isles. During the Civil War of England, the haunted Pontefract Castle was besieged three times, unsuccessfully. It held the honor of being the last Royalist stronghold to surrender in that war. It only yielded after Charles I was beheaded.

Oliver Cromwell, the leader of the Parliamentarians, called Pontefract Castle “one of the strongest inland garrisons in the kingdom”. After William the Conqueror established Norman control over England, Pontefract was the center of an honor, meaning feudal land tenure, of 162 manors. This huge estate was intentional. It was meant to give the lord of the honor enough power and wealth to stand up to the threat of invasion by the Scots from the north. In 1076, Pontefract was given to Ilbert de Lacy. The Doomsday Book of 1086, recorded that there was a wooden motte-and-bailey castle on the site. Before the arrival of the Normans, Pontefract was already an important part of present-day Yorkshire. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Pontefract was known as Tanshelf or Taddenessclyf. It was noted as a royal residence. In 947, King Eadredl held his witan, meaning council, in Pontefract.

The Archbishop Wulfstan of York and other Northern magnates came to this witan to swear oaths of obedience to King Eadredl. What is left of a Saxon church can be found not far from Pontefract Castle. Pontefract Castle has a unique design. The keep, instead of being on the motte as in other castles, was constructed around the motte to enclose it. This keep consisted of six irregularly-sized lobes. The general effect, if viewed by a bird, would be like that of the petals of a flower. In 1530, John Leland described the keep as “cast into six roundells, three bigge and three smaul”. The castle also has another architectural curiosity. It has a tower which is not part of the curtain wall. Swillington Tower is about 30 meters downhill away from the castle. It is connected to the curtain wall by a stretch of wall instead of being built arising from the curtain wall as is normally done. This tower is named after Sir Robert Swillington, who was one of John of Gaunt’s stewards.

It was built during the time of Henry IV, consisting of two stories with battlements above at a height of 13 meters. A King Starved to Death During the Elizabethan era, Pontefract was called Pomfret. In the Shakespearean play, Richard III, in Act 3 Scene 3, there were some ominous lines about Pontefract Castle: “O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison, Fatal and ominous to noble peers! Within the guilty closure of thy walls Richard the second here was hack’d to death; And, for more slander to thy dismal seat, We give thee up our guiltless blood to drink.” Richard II was the son of Edward, the Black Prince. On July 16, 1377, at the tender age of ten, he was crowned king. On August 19, 1399, he abdicated the throne in favor of Henry of Bolingbroke. On September 1, Richard II was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Later he was taken to Pontefract Castle.

Henry of Bolingbroke, now King Henry IV, would have allowed the ex-king to live out the remainder of his days there, but court conspiracies decided otherwise. A plot to dethrone the new king was uncovered in January 1400. The earls of Huntingdon, Kent, Somerset and Rutland were said to have conspired with Thomas Dispenser to murder Henry IV and restore Richard II. This was called the Ephiphany Rising. Since it was nipped in the bud, the rebellion did not succeed. The unfortunate result was that Henry IV decided that Richard II was too dangerous to be allowed to live. On or around February 14, 1400, Richard II ended his stay in the mortal realm. The exact manner of his demise was uncertain. The official version was that he died of “means unknown”. Some said that he starved himself to death. Others said that he was forcibly starved to death. Still others averred that he was hacked to death. Unfortunately his ghost did not come back to haunt Pontefract Castle to tell his side of the story.

Nevertheless, fans of the paranormal will not be disappointed when they visit the castle with the idea of doing a bit of ghost-hunting. A good place to start looking would be the underground magazine. Originally this was the cellar of the Great Hall. During the English Civil War, it was used to store gunpowder. Prisoners were also kept here at that time, chained to the wall by the stairs. It must have been a most harrowing time for those unfortunate enough to be incarcerated here to be so near to such large amounts of explosive material. Presumably they observed a ‘No Smoking’ prohibition without being told. Pontefract Castle Haunted Steve Coulson is one of the custodians of the castle. Once, he experienced a close brush with paranormal phenomena in the underground magazine. One day, after taking a party of schoolchildren on an underground tour of the castle, he returned to his office. Then he heard a loud knocking. Off-hand, he thought that he had inadvertently left someone behind locked in the magazine. So he went back underground to unlock the door. He looked inside. There was nobody there. Later he asked a former custodian about it. Apparently the other custodian had also experienced something similar ghost knocking at the door.

Pontefract Castle Specter of the Black Monk Ghosts at Pontefract Castle seem to be up and about even in daylight. A common apparition sighted during the late afternoon was that of a Black Monk. The Gascoigne Tower is situated on the west side of the castle. Attached to the tower are the kitchens. The Royal Apartments are to the north-east, behind the Normal Chapel. Visitors from all over the world have reported seeing the Black Monk walking from the ruins of the kitchens towards the Queen’s Tower. This specter is always sighted going from west to east. No one has ever reported seeing it coming the other way. There is no precise data on the identity of the Black Monk. In 1851, Victorian engineers found something interesting underground. They were working under what is now the Pontefract General Infirmary. They found a tiny chamber. This chamber was built by monks who literally wanted to get away from it all. The chamber was accessed by a spiral staircase. A skeleton was found in the ceiling. Perhaps some of these hermit monks found the gateway between the two realms and turned up in ethereal form in the temporal world.

The Black Monk is not the only ghostly man in the cloth sighted. At times, there is another ghostly monk dressed in gray. Sometimes, a ghostly woman, dressed in gray too, can be seen near the castle gates holding a lantern. There is no report of whether the two specters were having a ghostly rendezvous. Pontefract Castle Apparition in the Mirror At the castle, there is a Visitor’s Center. Here, visitors can get information on the castle as well as buy souvenirs. There is a mirror in the center. Some visitors have seen a reflection of a young girl in the mirror. She was said to be dressed in ragged clothes and had long brown hair. During those sightings there were no persons in the center that fitted the description of the reflection. Next to the center is the ladies toilet. Sometimes, a girl could be heard crying inside when no one was in the toilet. Some visitors said they have even heard ghostly screaming. Lady visitors to Pontefract Castle are well-advised to have a companion or two with them when they feel the need to powder their noses.

Question: Which English King was imprisoned and died in Pontefract Castle?
Answer: RICHARD II