Pickering Castle

Pickering Castle

Pickering Castle is located in the Yorkshire market town of Pickering on the A170 to Scarborough and is located in the heart of the North York Moors National Park.  Pickering is also the home of the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway. The castle is a short distance from the centre of town.

Pickering Castle, is a motte and bailey castle built by the Normans under William the Conqueror in 1069–1070. In the 12th century Henry II founded the stone castle, with a stone shell keep on top of the motte and stone curtain walls for the inner bailey.  Between 1323 and 1326, Edward II replaced the timber palisade with a curtain wall along with 3 towers.

The castle was a favourite royal hunting lodge, with many of the kings from the 11th to 14th centurys visiting to enjoy the hunting in the local forests.  The castle has an outer ditch and the motte has its own ditch, with an outer and inner bailey.  The castle consists of:

Gatehouse
Outer Ward
Mill Tower
Coleman Tower
Inner Ward
New Hall
Chapel
Old Hall
Constable's Lodgings
Rosamund's Tower
Diate Hill Tower
Keep

Its remains are particularly well-preserved because it is one of only a few castles which were largely unaffected by the Wars of the Roses and the Civil War of the 17th century.  The 12th century chantry chapel is the only surviving roofed building, which by the 16th century was being used as a courtroom.  The chapel was restored in the 19th century and reroofed around 20 years ago.

The castle is managed by English Heritage.

Entrance Prices:
English Heritage Members: Free
Adult: £3.80
Child: £2.30