Sunday 6th May 2001
Weather: Cool and mainly cloudy
Pickering Castle
Pickering is a fine
example of a motte-and-bailey castle, first built of earth and
timber
by William the Conqueror in the years following the Norman
Conquest in the early 12th century
It was rebuilt in
stone and extended by subsequent kings, notably Henry III and
Edward II,
in response to the threat posed at different times by rebellious
barons and marauding Scots
From the King's Tower ( the keep ) there's a magnificent view west across this picturesque part of North Yorkshire
Towards the top
right-hand corner of the photograph can be seen the grassy mound
of Beacon Hill,
probably the site of a siegework - this would have provided a
strategic position for a body of armed men
watching the castle garrison, aiming to catch it during an
unguarded or weakened moment
. 
These two full-height splayed arrow slits are all that remains of a series of probably ten windows around the King's Tower
. 
In the south-western corner of the outer ward of the castle is the Mill Tower
This two-storey tower was used as a prison on the ground floor with a gaoler's room above
. 
These are the ruins of parts of the inner ward buildings - the domestic heart of the castle
Here would have stood the main hall, private rooms, kitchens, food stores and brew house
The Chapel is the
only surviving roofed building ( started 1226-27 )
- much restored in the early 19th century and re-roofed again 20
years ago
. 
Although the chapel
interior now serves mainly as an exhibition centre on the castle,
there are still the original four western lancet windows and the
doorway with a pointed head and dripstone
Rosamund's Tower -
a three-storey tower ( built 1323-26 ) with a postern gate
- the northernmost of the new towers standing astride the inner
ditch
The postern passage
was closed by a small drawbridge towards the outer ditch
- a single chain or rope lowered the bridge passing through a
hole which is still visible over the centre of the arch
( a 'postern' is a 'back door', often in a concealed position )
. 
Diate Hill Tower - a three-storey tower with separate ground and upper floors
It stands at an
abrupt change of direction in the curtain wall
and probably housed a captain of the guard or a person of similar
rank
The 'castle well' - it was dug through the limestone early in the castle's history
During Edward II's
reign a cord was purchased for the well bucket
- it measured 20 'ells' ( 75 ft or 23 m long ), indicating the
depth of the well
At the western base of the motte are the ruins of Coleman Tower
The ground-floor
was probably used as a prison as it was mentioned in a document
of 1323
- traditional to medieval prisons, there were no openings for
windows or doors
It probably housed offenders against forest laws and petty
criminals
- thieves and brigands from the Pickering district would have
been locked up here
The upper floor would have housed the soldiers defending the staircase and guarding the entrance
This is how the first wooden castle may have appeared in the early 12th century . . .
. . . then the beginnings of some stonework in the early 13th century . . .
. . . followed by the impressive, completed stone castle of the 14th century
( paintings by Ivan Lapper )
This aerial view shows how Pickering Castle looks today
There are still
extensive and impressive remains to be seen
- in the safe care of English Heritage I recommend they are well worth a visit
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