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York Castle is a substantial fortification comprising a motte and bailey structure built by William the Conqueror following the Norman conquest of 1066, with a stone keep constructed in the 13th century. Clifford's Tower, the four-lobed stone tower keep that survives as the castle's most prominent feature, was erected in its current form during the reign of Henry III, replacing earlier timber structures. The site occupies a strategically commanding position within York's medieval defences and overlies earlier Romano-British occupation, including remains of the Roman fortress of Eboracum and an adjacent vicus settlement, as well as an Anglian cemetery dated to the post-Roman period. The castle served as a crucial royal stronghold throughout the medieval period and remains one of Yorkshire's most significant monuments from both the Norman Conquest era and the broader development of English castle architecture.
York Castle: motte and bailey castle, tower keep castle (including Clifford's Tower), and site of part of Romano-British fort-vicus and Anglian cemetery is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1011799. View the official record →
York Castle is a substantial fortification comprising a motte and bailey structure built by William the Conqueror following the Norman conquest of 1066, with a stone keep constructed in the 13th century. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1011799.
York Castle: motte and bailey castle, tower keep castle (including Clifford's Tower), and site of part of Romano-British fort-vicus and Anglian cemetery is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1011799.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including St George's medieval chapel 120m south of York Castle (0.1 km), Merchant's Hall, Fossgate (0.3 km), City Walls, gates, posterns (not including the section from Bootham Bar to Monk Bar, N of the Minster, now part of National Monument No 13280), moats, mounds, Bayle (or Baile) Hill, St Leonard's Hospital and Merchant Taylor's Hall, Aldwark (0.4 km).
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around York Castle: motte and bailey castle, tower keep castle (including Clifford's Tower), and site of part of Romano-British fort-vicus and Anglian cemetery