Yorkshire's Secret Castles: A Concise Guide and Companion

There is no single event in the history of our nation that has impacted society as profoundly as the Norman Conquest. These were brutal times and revolts prompted the erection of a large number of timber and earth castles, the majority being built between 1071 and 1145. Yorkshire has many examples and this book goes in search of sites that represent the earliest feudal stamp of the Normans on the county’s landscape. Many are situated off the beaten track and command superb views of outstandingly beautiful countryside, while others are close to populated areas. In some instances, the visible remains have long since blended into the local scenery due to land cultivation, decay, neglect, vandalism, or uncaring (or unwitting) civil engineering works. A few were subsequently development in stone, but the majority remain obscure and go largely unnoticed by all but the most informed visitor. Indeed, many locals are blissfully unaware of what once existed on their very own doorsteps. Where can they be found? Who built them? What were they like? What tales can be told about their turbulent histories? What traces of them remain? Yorkshire’s Secret Castles has the answers.