Middleham Castle: twelfth century tower, keep, castle and fourteenth century concentric castle.

Scheduled area

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History & significance

Middleham Castle is a substantial medieval fortress in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, dominated by a large twelfth-century stone keep that originally stood as a self-contained stronghold. The keep was subsequently enclosed by outer defensive works, which were expanded and refortified during the fourteenth century to create a concentric castle design typical of later medieval military architecture. The site served as an important baronial stronghold and was notably associated with the house of Neville during the fifteenth century, when Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was based there before his accession to the throne. The surviving structures, comprising the keep and the remains of the outer curtain wall with towers, represent a significant example of the evolution of castle design from the Romanesque period through the later Middle Ages.

Middleham Castle: twelfth century tower, keep, castle and fourteenth century concentric castle. is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1010629. View the official record →

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