Conisbrough is a large Norman castle in South Yorkshire and the highlight of our was visit was the spectacular round keep and buttresses. The keep is certainly a unique feature of the castle, built in the 12th century and still over 30m tall and the six buttresses give it a very different appearance, reminiscent of Castell del Monte.
Visiting Conisbrough Castle
Our visit was in the distant past of 2008 so a lot has changed since then. The facilities were a small ticket hut and that was it. The castle is run by English Heritage and there are plenty of information boards around the castle although no car park and cafe facilities are in the town itself.
On our 2022 visit there was still no car park, other than the public one at the bottom of the hill. There was a drinks machine and a shop but also an excellent visitors centre with a history of the castle and the de Warenne family.
My Experience
This was a rushed visit as we were working in the area so just had time for a quick wander. Definitely somewhere to revisit!
So we did, 14 years later in 2022. We were able to go inside and climb to the top of the keep to see the extensive views. Other than the keep and a small amount of curtain wall there isn’t much left of the castle so if you allow an hour that should be plenty.
Each level of the keep has a short video explaining some aspect of the castle or its inhabitants. There was some pretty decorative stonework and every level seemed to have its own toilet!
Conisbrough Castle Photo Gallery
These next photos were taken in the dim and distant past of 2008 and they were not taken in RAW so these are pretty much unedited jpgs. I’d like to think my own skill in photography has moved on since then too so these may not be ideal pictures. Sorry!
The second batch are from our 2022 visit where we had a lot more time.
History
A Saxon settlement prior to the Norman invasion, Conisbrough (“King’s Fort”) was fortified in the years immediately following the conquest with an earth and timber structure. It is unknown whether this took the form of a motte and bailey or was a ring work fort. Along with other key castles in the North Midlands/Yorkshire area (including Lincoln, Newark, Sheffield, Pontefract, Sandal, Tickhill, York and Spofforth) it was key to Norman control of the north. The castle seen today dates from circa-1180 when the Keep was built with its circular design taking inspiration from Royal castles such as Orford.
The castle’s only major military engagement came in 1317 when it was besieged and captured by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. The then owner of Consibrough Castle was John de Warenne who had a personal vendetta with Thomas due to his efforts to bar an attempted divorce between himself and his wife, Joan. Scandalously one of John’s squires eloped with Joan to Reigate Castle prompting Thomas, one of the most powerful magnates in the country, to commence a private war. Thomas seized Conisbrough and Sandal Castle in revenge and retained both until he was executed in March 1322. The properties were returned to the Warenne family by Edward II in 1326.
Edward III granted the estate to Edmund Langley, Duke of York and it remained in that line becoming a Royal castle when its then owner, Edward of York, became King Edward IV in March 1461.
By the Tudor period the castle was ruinous and this aided its survival; when it came to the Civil War, which saw so many great castles slighted on the orders of Parliament, the castle was regarded as ruinous and was neither garrisoned nor seen as a post-war threat.
References
Conisbrough Castle website is here, with lots of resources for your visit.
The English Heritage site is here.
The history above is copied from Castles Forts Battles here.