| Summary : The standing remains of a Norman tower keep, begun in the mid-twelfth century, with a fourteenth century curtain wall and later domestic buildings. It is rectangular in plan, measuring 32 metres by 24 metres, with ashlar faced walls up to 3.7 metres thick. Built on the east side of the keep is a 13th century chapel which originally had three storeys, the lower two surviving as a vestry and possible priest's lodging. Although the keep must have had outer defences, the only standing remains at Middleham are of the curtain wall round the inner ward, which was first built in the early 14th century. The earliest sections consist of a 7.3 metre high wall with a parapet walk, extant on all four sides of the enclosure, and the bases of the main gatehouses and three corner towers. The walls and all but the south-east tower were heightened in the late 14th century and service rooms and lodgings were built against the curtain from the 14th century onwards. The tower keep was begun in the mid-twelfth century by Ralph FitzRanulph. After being forfeited to the Crown in 1471, Edward IV then gave it to his brother Richard of Gloucester, later Richard III. After Richard's death, Middleham passed to Henry VII and remained Crown property until 1604 when it was given by James I to Sir Henry Lindley. The site is in the care of English Heritage. |
More information : (SE12678762) Middleham Castle (NR) (In ruins) AD 1190 Moat (NR) (1)
See pamphlet. (2)
Grade 1. (3)
Published survey (25") of structural remains and earthworks revised. As noted by Sir Charles Peers, it is likely that the castle was originally more extensive than is represented by the existing keep and ancillary buildings. In this context it is not clear whether the fragment of ditch to the south (SE12678754) is the remains of an outer defensive moat, or a fishpond. (4)
Ruined castle. C12, C13, C14 and C15. Ashlar and rubble. Large rectangular keep of 1170s standing to its full height, divided to form Hall and Great Chamber on the first floor, formerly with an external staircase approach. Late C13 chapel annexe. Curtain wall of C12 and C13, with irregularly-shaped angle towers, including a round tower on south-west known as the Prince's Tower. C14 gatehouse to north-east with diagonal turrets, and machicolations above the segmental-arched opening, and inside a single-chamfered rib-vault. On 3 sides of curtain wall, living and service ranges were added in the C14 and C15. From 1270 the castle belonged to the Nevill family of Raby. Anne Nevill married Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, in 1470, and in 1473 their only child, Edward, was born in Middleham Castle, according to tradition in the Prince's Tower. Later, Nevill property reverted to the Crown. VCH, i, pp 251-5. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (5)
Middleham Castle: twelfth century tower keep castle and fourteenth century concentric castle. Scheduled. (6)
Additional references. (7-10)
Listed by Cathcart King. (11)
A Conservation statement on Middleham Castle was published by English Heritage in 2002. (12)
Brief description of Middleham Castle. It was the favourite residence of Richard III. (13) |