Pontefract Castle, located in West Yorkshire, is a famous English castle constructed in 1070 after the Norman conquest of Britain. However, the grounds on the hill were used as a fortress prior to the building of the stone castle. Pontefract is also famous for liquorish, and the plant is grown in the castle ground herb garden.
The castle was lived in until the early 14th century, and it was transformed over the years as a home. The castle is also where Richard II died as a prisioner, and others were beheaded at the castle. Mary Queen of Scots stayed at the castle on a visit south, and Catherine Howard apparently committed adultery at the castle for the first time, which led to her beheading at the Tower of London.
Pontefract Castle can be visited; the visitor centre opened in 2017.
The castle was used in the Civil War. There was a seige at the castle, but the castle's defenses were strong and held together. The Parliamentarians attempted to starve out those in the castle to surrender. and it deliberately became a ruin afterwards.
St. Clement's Chapel ruins are located in the grounds of Pontefract Castle.
I admired the views from the castle.
The kitchens were used for cooking as well as making weapons and minting coins. The pink stonework is discoloured from the heat.
The castle dungeons do not flood as the rock is very strong. Prisoners were held in the dungeons, and the information boards showed some of the grafitti by people held here in the Civil War.
This concludes my visit of Pontefract Castle.
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