Knaresborough Castle: The Yorkshire cliff-top ruin which was once a stronghold of medieval kings

The earliest written record of a castle at Knaresborough was during the reign of Henry I in 1100-1135 when expenditure was agreed for strengthening the walls.

In 1170 the first major event in the castle’s history took place when Hugh de Morville, an Anglo-Norman knight who served Henry II, took refuge there with three fellow knights after assassinating Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Canterbury Cathedral.

The castle was taken over in 1204 by King John and used as a military stronghold from which to rule the north as well as a lodge for hunting in the vast Knaresborough Forest.

Little of this structure now remains, and today’s castle dates from the early 1300s when it became a strategic base for England’s wars with Scotland by both Edward I and his successor Edward II.

The latter oversaw the building of a magnificent new keep, now known as the King’s Tower (pictured) and the most visible remnant of the 14th century castle.

Queen Philippa, wife of King Edward III, used the castle as a Royal residence, spending most summers there and developing a lavish court residence.

Ownership of Knaresborough Castle was claimed by later monarchs but was mainly used for administrative and judicial purposes.

However, through November and December 1644 it came under siege by a force of 400 Parliamentarians in the Civil War, its then owner Sir Henry Slingsby having supported Charles I.

After the surrender, to prevent future use by Royalist forces the castle was largely destroyed.