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YORK CASTLE

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York Castle originated as a Norman motte and bailey, built in 1068 when William the Conqueror came north to consolidate his power over the country. It was of earth and timber construction and the original motte underlies the thirteenth century mound of Clifford's Tower. The main bailey lay to the south east and extended down to the line of the River Foss. The remains of such buildings as stables, barracks and workshops will survive throughout. In circa 1089 the Foss was dammed to create a moat around the keep and bailey. Although infilled, the line of the moat survives beneath the surfaces of the carpark, footpaths and access roads around the castle. The castle was burnt down in 1190 in an anti-Jewish riot and was rebuilt the same year, still in timber. Documentary sources indicate that the 12th and early 13th century castle included a tower, palisades, gatehouses, bridges, houses, stables, prisons and a chapel. Stone defences were added around the bailey by Henry III between 1245 and 1262 when the keep was also rebuilt in stone (SE 65 SW 395). Along with towers and a length of curtain wall to the south east, the keep is all that remains standing of the medieval castle, though buried features, including those of stone buildings constructed by Henry III, including halls, a kitchen and a prison, may survive in the open areas of the bailey. Documentary evidence indicates that a mint was in operation in the castle during the 14th and 15th centuries, and was moved elsewhere in 1546. The castle was slighted during the Civil War and gutted by fire in 1684. It became part of York prison after 1825. Most of the prison buildings were demolished in 1935, but the former debtors' prison (SE 65 SW 393) and female prison (SE 65 SW 337) remain, along with the eighteenth century Assize Court (SE 65 SW 280).

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[SE 6047 5148] Clifford's Tower [G.T.]
[SE 6054 5143] York Castle [G.T.]
[SE 6058 5138] Castle Wall [G.T.] (1)

York Castle consisted originally of a motte and bailey. In the 13th c., Clifford's Tower was rebuilt in wood and stone, replacing the former wooden structure, and the bailey defined by a curtain wall and towers, some of which remain at the back of the existing 18th c. buildings. The tower was refortified during the Civil War, and repaired in 1903 with the remains of the Castle. Scheduled. (2)

Published survey (OS 1/1250,1962) of earthworks correct. Remains of the Castle include the landscaped motte, surmounted by a stone keep, Clifford's Tower, and a section of the curtain wall extending from SE 6054 5135 to SE 6059 5141, embracing the south angle, and one interval tower. All are in good condition, and are on view to the public.
See G.P. AO/63/114/2 for illustration of Clifford's Tower. (3)

Additional references (4-10)

Listed by Cathcart King (11).

Additional reference (12).

SE 60475158. York Castle originated as a Norman motte and bailey, built in 1068 when William the Conqueror came north to consolidate his power over the country. It was of earth and timber construction and the original motte underlies the thirteenth century mound of Clifford's Tower. The main bailey lay to the south east and extended down to the line of the River Foss. The remains of such buildings as stables, barracks and workshops will survive throughout. In circa 1089 the Foss was dammed to create a moat around the keep and bailey. Although infilled, the line of the moat survives beneath the surfaces of the carpark, footpaths and access roads around the castle. The castle was burnt down in 1190 in an anti-Jewish riot and was rebuilt the same year, still in timber. Documentary sources indicate that the 12th and early 13th century castle included a tower, palisades, gatehouses, bridges, houses, stables, prisons and a chapel. Stone defences were added around the bailey by Henry III between 1245 and 1262 when the keep was also rebuilt in stone (SE 65 SW 395). Along with towers and a length of curtain wall to the south east, the keep is all that remains standing of the medieval castle, though buried features, including those of stone buildings constructed by Henry III, including halls, a kitchen and a prison, may survive in the open areas of the bailey. Documentary evidence indicates that a mint was in operation in the castle during the 14th and 15th centuries, and was moved elsewhere in 1546. The castle was slighted during the Civil War and gutted by fire in 1684. It became part of York prison after 1825. Most of the prison buildings were demolished in 1935, but the former debtors' prison (SE 65 SW 393) and female prison (SE 65 SW 337) remain, along with the eighteenth century Assize Court (SE 65 SW 280). Listed and scheduled. (6-14)

SOURCE TEXT

(6) Scheduled Monument Notification

31-MAR-1992

(7) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1973 York Castle : an illustrated history

(8) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1981 York Castle

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:1250 1962

(2) Field Investigators Comments

F1 RWE 13-JUN-63

(3) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

City of York, JUN-1983 Page(s)43-44

(4) by Department of the Environment, Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings London 1978 List of ancient monuments in England: Volume 1, Northern England; Volume 2, Southern England; Volume 3, East Anglia and the Midlands

1 Page(s)64

(5) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1972 An inventory of the historical monuments in the City of York. Volume II: the defences

Page(s)59-78

(9) by Richard Hall 1996 English Heritage book of York

Page(s)15, 21, 40, 43, 48, 58-9, 73, 91

(10) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

City of York, 14-MAR-1997 Page(s)132-3, 137

(11) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 - 1983 Page(s)528-9

(12) by Tom McNeill 1992 English Heritage book of castles

Page(s)128

(13) by Nikolaus Pevsner and David Neave 1995 Yorkshire : York and the East Riding

The Buildings of England Page(s)190-191

(14) R Allen Brown, H M Colvin and A J Taylor 1963 The history of the King's Works, volume 2 : the Middle Ages

Page(s)889-894

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Monument Name/No

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Description

CLIFFORDS TOWER
YORK

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A castle keep, known as Clifford's Tower, built between 1245 and 1272 for Henry III. It stands on a motte, which was originally larger and surrounded ...

MONUMENT NO. 536713
YORK

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Prison, built 1826-35, between Clifford's Tower and the Female Prison. It closed as a civil prison in 1900 but continued in use as a military prison u...

CASTLE MUSEUM
YORK

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Former debtors' prison, now a museum. Built as the County Gaol in 1701-05 and altered and extended between 1824 and 1835. The building was converted i...

ASSIZE COURT
YORK

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Court House built in 1773-77 to the designs of John Carr. The rear was altered and a new range added in 1818-21 by Peter Atkinson junior and Matthew P...

THE CASTLE MUSEUM
YORK

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Female prison and yard built in 1780-83 to the designs of Thomas Wilkinson and John Prince who repeated the facade design of the Court House opposite ...

MONUMENT TYPES

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MEDIEVAL MOTTE AND BAILEY 1068

MEDIEVAL MOAT 1079 to 1099

MEDIEVAL BRIDGE 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL CASTLE 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL CHAPEL 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL GAOL 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL GATEHOUSE 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL HOUSE 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL INTERVAL TOWER 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL STABLE 1100 to 1232

MEDIEVAL CASTLE 1190

MEDIEVAL CURTAIN WALL 1245 to 1262

MEDIEVAL KEEP 1245 to 1262

MEDIEVAL MINT 1300 to 1499

POST MEDIEVAL MINT 1546

POST MEDIEVAL KEEP 1642 to 1649

POST MEDIEVAL KEEP 1684

POST MEDIEVAL PRISON 1825 to 1929

20TH CENTURY PRISON 1825 to 1929

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