Knaresborough Castle

Knaresborough Castle stands on a cliff above the River Nidd in the town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Built around 1100 by a Norman baron, the fortress once controlled a key crossing of the river. Henry I ordered repairs in 1130, and in the 1170s the castle sheltered Hugh de Moreville and his men after Thomas Becket’s murder. King John later took direct control, spending £1,290 on improvements and giving the castle to his daughter Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. Edward I rebuilt the stronghold between 1307 and 1312, adding a great keep completed by Edward II. The castle passed to Piers Gaveston, Philippa of Hainault, and John of Gaunt before becoming a parliamentary ruin in 1648. The castle’s remains overlook the river and the town, with two walled baileys and a ruined five-sided keep. A pair of towers still marks the main gate, and fragments of residential buildings survive inside. The courthouse, built in the 14th century and later extended, now houses a museum with Tudor furniture and exhibits on the castle’s history. Nearby, a 1786 prison built of gritstone once held prisoners and now forms part of the site. Ravens have lived here since 2000, including a bird named Mourdour whose greeting in a Yorkshire accent became famous online. The grounds serve as a public park with bowling and putting greens open in summer. Events such as the annual Festival of Visual Arts and Entertainment are held among the ruins. The castle’s stone has been reused in town-centre buildings, linking past and present. Visitors walk along the cliff-top walls and explore the baileys, where foundations of halls and chambers can be seen. The courthouse and prison add layers of history, while the river below offers a quiet contrast to the fortress above.