BattlefieldsSiege of Sandal Castle 1460
Medieval

Siege of Sandal Castle 1460

1460
West Yorkshire, England
Also known as: Sandal 1460 · Richard of York at Sandal
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
West Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Yorkists
Forces
York: c.5,000 sallying out
VS
Victor
Lancastrians (forced Richard out to fight)
Forces
Lancastrian besiegers: Margaret of Anjou army, c.15,000-18,000
Outcome
Richard Duke of York sallied out from Sandal Castle and was destroyed at Wakefield; the castle was then garrisoned by Lancastrians
The Battle

History & Significance

Sandal Castle in December 1460 was the prelude to the catastrophic Battle of Wakefield. Richard Duke of York was besieged or blockaded there by a large Lancastrian force. His decision to sally out and fight has never been satisfactorily explained. He was outnumbered and destroyed; his head, with a paper crown, was displayed on the gates of York.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around West Yorkshire

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near West Yorkshire