York Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Cliffords Tower

In the civil parish of York. In the historic county of Yorkshire Ainsty & York (Modern Authority of York, 1974 county of North Yorkshire).

Motte and bailey of 1068, destroyed 1069, rebuilt in timber until burnt down in anti-jewish riots in 1189, rebuilt again in timber until blown down in gale in 1228. Final built in stone from 1224-50. Main survivor is quatrefoil keep on motte known as Clifford's Tower. In circa 1089 the Foss was dammed to create a moat around the keep and bailey. Although infilled, the line of the moat survives beneath the surfaces of the carpark, footpaths and access roads around the castle.
Cliffords Tower - Castle keep. 1245-72; partly dismantled 1596-97; forebuilding largely rebuilt 1642-43; gutted by explosion in 1684. Restorations of 1902, 1915 and 1936. For King Henry III. MATERIALS: rubble stone faced with magnesian limestone ashlar; roof lost: forebuilding rebuilt in pinkish stone, with hipped roof of tiles. Quatrefoil on plan with rectangular projecting forebuilding. EXTERIOR: 2-storey tower, originally embattled, with battered base, 3 bartizans, and full-height buttressed forebuilding to south. Forebuilding has hollow-chamfered, elliptical arched doorway of 2 orders: to right, a length of original hoodmould survives. Building largely lit by slits or chamfered rectangular lights: in right return one original lancet survives. Above doorway, a halved panel is carved in low relief with Royal Arms of Charles II above the arms of Henry Clifford, 8th Earl of Cumberland. Two corbelled bartizans, lit by slits, and similar one opposite forebuilding a garderobe tower, lit by chamfered rectangular light. On each side of forebuilding, slits light staircases within tower walls. The lower stage of each tower lobe has two arrow slits with enlarged heads. In upper stage, lobes flanking forehouse have chamfered arched openings, one pointed, one round-headed, blocked later to form arrow slits. Elsewhere, openings are chamfered lights with shouldered heads. Remains of embrasures and arrow slits in merlons survive from original embattled parapet and walkway. A water spout with a grotesque face projects on the west. INTERIOR: forebuilding has spiral staircase in wall to left, entered through chamfered, shoulder-arched doorway. Inner doorway to tower is pointed and grooved for portcullis. On first floor, in former chapel, arcades of 4 pointed moulded arches remain on 2 adjacent walls; arches are enriched with dogtooth moulding, nailhead capitals to decayed shafts survive, some moulded waterhold bases remain: altered doorway with chamfered lintel in similar wider arch: one original lancet window survives: aumbry in rebated surround. Walls on each side of tower arch contain spiral staircases, entered through chamfered, shoulder-arched doorways. Similar doorways give access to garderobe tower opposite forebuilding, and on upper floor of intermediate bartizans to further spiral staircases to parapet walkway. In all parts, arrow slits and
shouldered lights are set in embrasures beneath round or pointed arches of voussoirs, some rebuilt in brick. Two lobes contain hollow-chamfered segment-arched fireplaces with hoods and flues intact. Stone-lined well beneath iron grille. (City of York HER)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number )

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SE60475158

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 58151; 1379266
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is MYO1748 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.york.gov.uk/walls/11th/index.html
    http://www.castlegate.net/castles/YORK/index.htm
    http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/cliffords-tower/ct.php
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_north/105/yorkcastle.htm
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.362
    http://www.norman-world.com/angleterre/Patrimoine_architectural/Angleterre/Castles/york/york1.htm
    http://www.yorkcastle.com/index.html
    http://www.geocities.com/jojogoob/Clifford.html
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/york.html
    http://www.matthewpemmott.co.uk/2006/08/cliffords-tower-york.html
    http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?clifford_eh_2005
• Books
  • Dean Gareth, 2008, Medieval York (The History Press)
    Wilson, B. and Mee, F., 2005, The city walls and castles of York: the pictorial evidence (York: York Archaeological Trust - The archaeology of York supplementary series; 1/3)
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Yorkshire (Malvern) p114-8
    Ingham, Bernard, 2001, Bernard Ingham's Yorkshire Castles (Dalesman) p44-7
    Richard Hall, 1996, English Heritage book of York (London: English Heritage) p15, 21, 40, 43, 48, 58-9, 73, 91
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p282-5
    Pevsner, Nikolaus and David Neave, 1995. The Buildings of England: Yorkshire, York and the East Riding (London) p190-191
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p138, 184, 358
    McNeill, Tom, 1992, English Heritage book of castles (London: English Heritage) p128
    Drage, C., 1987, 'Urban castles' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p117-32
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p528-9
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p209-10
    Harvey, J., 1975. York. (London: Batsford)
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p351-2
    RCHME, 1972. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York, 2: The Defences (London, HMSO) p59-86, 176-9
    Garlick, Tom, 1972, Yorkshire Castles (Dalesman) p26-7
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p889-894
    Tillott, P.M. (ed), 1961, VCH York, City of York p521-8 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36388
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p125-7
    Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p132-5
    Illingworth, J.L., 1938 (republished 1970), Yorkshire's Ruined Castles (Wakefield) p116-22
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p8
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p242-8
    Armitage and Montgomerie, 1912, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH York Vol2 p43-4
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Cooper, T.P., 1911, History of the Castle of York (London)
    Cooper, T.P., 1904, York, the Story of its Walls and Castles (London) p3-214
    Camidge, 1904, Clifford's Tower, York (York) [history]
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England (New York: Macmillan) Vol2 p277-9 http://www.archive.org/stream/castlesofengland02mack#page/277/mode/1up
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England  (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p534-48
    Twyford and Griffiths, 1880, Records of York Castle (London) p3-45 [weak]
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p169-71
    Lockwood and Cates, 1834, History and Antiquites of the Fortifications of the City of York (London) p43-4
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol6 p78-80
• Journal Articles
  • Harfield, C.G., 1991, 'A Hand-list of Castles Recorded in the Domesday Book' English Historical Review Vol106 p371-392 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28199104%29106%3A419%3C371%3AAHOCRI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Q
    Taylor, A.J., 1986, ‘The date of Clifford’s Tower, York' The Archaeological Journal Vol111 p153-9 [reprinted in Taylor, A.J., 1986, Studies in castles and castle-building, (London: Hambledon Press) p241–7]
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' The Archaeological Journal Vol143 p311
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    O'Neil, B.H.St.J., 1939, 'Excavations at York Castle, 1935' Antiquaries Journal Vol19 p85-9 [on dating]
    O'Neil, B.H.St.J., 1934, 'A note on the date of Clifford's Tower, York' The Archaeological Journal Vol91 p296-300, 362-3
    Benson, G. and Platnauer, H., 1902. 'Notes on Clifford's Tower, York' Yorkshire Philosophical Society Report p68-74 and paltes VI, VII
    Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol46 p197-217 esp216 http://www.archive.org/stream/archaeologicaljo46brit#page/197/mode/1up
    Clark, G.T., 1875-6, Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol4 p35-40
    Clark, G.T., 1874, 'The defences of York' The Archaeological Journal Vol31 p221-61 esp255-9 http://www.archive.org/stream/archaeologicaljo31brit#page/255/mode/1up
• Guidebooks
  • Butler, L.A.S., 1997, Clifford’s Tower and the Castles of York (London: English Heritage)
    Anon, 1987. Clifford’s Tower and the castles of York. (London: English Heritage)
    O'Neil, B.H.St.J., 1979 (2edn), Clifford's Tower, York Castle (HMSO)
    1981, York Castle (RCHME)
    1973, York Castle: an illustrated history (RCHME)
    Renn, D.F., 1971, Clifford's Tower and the castles of York
    O'Neil, B.H.St.J., 1936, Clifford's Tower, York Castle (HMSO)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • The Anglo-saxon Chronicle; Worcester Chronicle AD1067; Worcester AD1069 http://omacl.org/Anglo/ [Text based on Everyman Press edn of 1912]
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p503-8
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Speed, John, 1611-12, The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain [http://faculty.oxy.edu/horowitz/home/johnspeed/Cities30.htm]
    William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/yorkseng.html#yorks22]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p540
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol1 p54 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl01