Sandal Castle
Sandal Castle was probably first built in the early 12th century after
William de Warenne received the Manor of Wakefield from Henry I about 1106.
The earthwork motte and bailey castle was probably completed by about 1130.
The first buildings were made of wood. The rebuilding in stone started at
the end of the 12th century and continued throughout much of the 13th
century. There are records relating to materials being supplied for building
work in 1270 and 1275. In 1317 the castle was attacked and captured by
Thomas Earl of Lancaster but by 1327 it was back in the hands of the de
Warennes.
From 1361 the castle was in the hands of royal owners who were largely
absentee landlords. In December 1460 Richard, Duke of York and Richard
Neville, Earl of Salisbury were in residence. Margaret of Anjou was nearby
at Pontefract and, learning of the Yorkist presence, on 30th December set
off for Wakefield with a large contingent of cavalry led by John Clifford.
Yorkist foraging parties were returning to the castle and found themselves
cut off from their base. The Yorkists within the castle saw the danger and
both the Duke of York and the Earl of Salisbury left the castle with their
sons, Edmund, Duke of Rutland and Sir Thomas Neville, to drive the enemy
away. But they were outnumbered and within an hour the Duke of York and Sir
Thomas Neville were killed along with 3,000 others. Edmund, Duke of Rutland
, was slain by Lord John Clifford - an action for which he received the
dubious accolade of "Butcher Cumberland". The Earl of Salisbury was taken
prisoner and died at Pontefract. The heads of the Duke of York, the Earl of
Salisbury and Edmund, Duke of Rutland were impaled above Micklegate Bar in
York.
Major building work was ordered by Richard III in 1484/5 to make Sandal more
habitable for a permanent household in the north. His death in 1485 brought
to an end any further development at Sandal.From then on Sandal was allowed
to fall into decay. Surveys of the castle taken in 1538, 1545, 1564 and
1565-6 detail its decay. They listed building by building the extent of
repairs needed as the ranges were in an advanced state of disrepair with
missing floors and roofs.By this time the only parts of the castle fully
maintained and occupied were the buildings by the main drawbridge which were
lived in by the Constable of the castle.
It was briefly re-fortified by a Royalist garrison in 1645 during the Civil
War. The occupation lasted only a few months and the castle surrendered on
the 1st of October 1645. In 1646 by order of Parliament the castle was
stripped of its defences. The heap of stonework that was left quickly became
overgrown and the extent of the masonry that did survive was only revealed
during the excavations in 1964-73.
Sandal Castle is owned by Wakefield District Council.. There is a Visitor Centre on the site giving information about the castle and showing a video of the excavations.
Opening times:
Admission is free and unrestricted.
The visitor Centre opens daily 11.00 to 16.30 in Summer. Weekends only 12.00 to 16.00 in winter.
Janet C. Senior
