Middleham Castle

2467 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

2014

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Husband

Reasons for trip

Middleham Castle is a large and splendid castle guarding the entrance to Wensleydale, with its central keep and curtain wall.

Built at the end of the C12th, it replaced an earlier motte and bailey castle to the south west. The walls still stand to nearly their original height.

In 1270, the castle passed into the hands of the powerful Neville Family who also owned Raby, Brancepeth and Sherriff Hutton Castles. Richard Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, acquired the Castle through his marriage to Ann Neville and it became his stronghold in the north of England. Their son was born here and also died here, aged only ten.

The castle is surrounded by a ditch, now crossed by a bridge rather than a drawbridge. Guardrooms protected the gateway. Inside the gatehouse is the keep with a series of service quarters built round the inside of the curtain wall. These are in ruined condition, but the remains of ovens and a horse mill used for grinding grain can still be seen. Rooms on the lower floors were used for storage, workshops or servant accommodation. Rooms above, reached by an external covered stair were larger and would have housed more important members of the household or guests. A wooden bridge now long gone, would have connected the upper rooms to the Great Hall in the keep.

There is ramped access into the bottom of the keep with the cellar and kitchen with its huge fireplaces and a well. A spiral staircase gave servants access to the Great Hall above.

The Great Hall was originally reached by an external stone stair, now replaced by a modern wood staircase. This was the chief public space in the castle. It was used for eating and the judicial court was held here. Off it and above the cellars were the private family quarters of the Great chamber and Inner Chamber.

The inside of the keep is now a roofless shell. The modern wooden staircases leads to a viewing platform at first floor level. It is possible to continue up the original spiral staircase to the top of the keep with its views across to the original motte, Middleham and a training yard for race horses.

We didn’t find the exhibition about the Middleham Jewel.

DISABLED ACCESS

There is some parking outside the castle, but no dedicated disabled parking. Failing that there is plenty of parking around the Market Place. Disabled visitors can be dropped off at the entrance. Carers are admitted free.

The castle is wheelchair friendly inside with well mown grass and ramped access into the base of the keep.

There is a small shop in the ticket office.

There are no toilets in the castle. The nearest public toilets (not brilliant) which have a disabled toilet are 75 yards away and in a narrow lane off the market place. There are tea rooms and pubs in Middleham.

There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/castles/england/middleham/index.html

Silver Travel Advisor

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.