Knaresborough Castle
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Knaresborough Castle is a ruined fortress overlooking the River Nidd in the town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England (grid reference SE348569).
[edit] History
It was built around 1100 by a Norman baron on a cliff above the River Nidd. In the 1170s Hugh de Moreville and his followers took refuge there after assassinating Thomas Beckett. King John regarded Knaresborough as an important northern fortress and spent ₤1290 on improvements to the castle. The castle was later rebuilt between 1301-1307 by Edward I and later completed by Edward II. John of Gaunt acquired the castle in 1372, adding it to the vast holdings of the Duchy of Lancaster.
The castle was taken by Parliamentarian troops in 1644 during the Civil War, and largely destroyed in 1648 not as the result of warfare, but because of an order from Parliament to dismantle all Royalist castles. Indeed, many town centre buildings are built of 'castle stone'.
The remains are open to the public and there is a charge for entry to the interior remains. The grounds are used as a public leisure space, with a bowling green and putting green open during summer. It is also used as a performing space, with bands playing most afternoons through the summer. It plays host to frequent events, such as FEVA. The property is owned by the Crown as part of the Duchy of Lancaster holdings, but is administered by Harrogate Borough Council.
[edit] Description of the castle
The castle, now much ruined, comprised two walled baileys set one behind the other, with the outer bailey on the town side and the inner bailey on the cliff side. The enclosure wall was punctuated by solid towers along its length, and a pair, visible today, formed the main gate. At the junction between the inner and outer baileys, on the north side of the castle stood a tall five-sided keep, the eastern parts of which has been pulled down. The keep had a vaulted basement, at least three upper stories, and served as a residence for the lord of the castle throughout the castle's history. The castle baileys contained residential buildings, and some foundations have survived.
[edit] References
- Knaresborough Castle 1
- Knaresborough Castle 2
- Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, The David & Charles Book of Castles, David & Charles, 1980, p. 249. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3
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