Considering that York residents were once known as “mince pies,” they serve as a focal point for royal government seats and administration throughout Yorkshire.
We're talking about the Clifford Tower, which has played a major role in York's history for nearly 1,000 years. Originally built by William Conquerors in 1068, two years after Norman's conquest.
It is known as Motte & Bailey Castle. This is a kind of defense used by the Normans to quickly strengthen military retention, especially across newly conquered lands in the north. It basically consists of a hill/or mound called a mot where the castle and towers are seated, and Bailey, an area of enclosures around a motte surrounded by fences and walls.
After the tower was constructed, there was a continuous uprising by locals, and William built a second Mott & Bailey Castle across the river called “Old Bailu”.
Shortly after this, the Danish fleet sailed the river by local citizens destroying both castles. William I was rewarded with the Viking, and in his wrath put waste in the wide territories of Yorkshire, now known as “The Harm of the North.” He later rebuilt both castles.
The present tower was built a little later as a king's castle in the 1200s, reconstructing the original wooden structure of the stone tower. It has an unusual four-leaf design (looking like a clover with four leaves) similar to many castles in France. Over the years it became known as York Castle.
One of the most tragic events at York Castle is recognized by the plaques at the bottom of the stairs. This relates to the sad story that took place during the reign of King Richard I. More than 150 Jews, including men, women and children, ended up evacuating in the castle and fleeing the angry mob, stirred up by anti-sensory. They returned from the Crusades and could not afford to pay back their debts to Jewish money lenders. When the Jews realized that the mob was approaching invading the tower, they decided that committing a massive amount of suicide was a better option than being murdered by the Bailing mob.
Over time, York Castle became one of the most important fortresses in the North. As a royal seat in the government, we witnessed many unpleasant events, including the hanging of Robert Aske, the leader of the local rebels. An uprising over the disbandment of the monastery. Later, it became known as the Tower of Clifford after the local Lord Roger de Clifford.
During the Elizabethan era, guard Robert Redhead began to demolish towers from inside and supplement his income by selling stones.
After the fall of royalists during the civil war of the 1600s, the tower was used by the garrison army for many years and was a pi squeezed into the pie, narrowed down by locals who were primarily royalists' supporters. It has become known to you! Fire destroyed its interior and ended the military occupation in 1684.
Apart from the tower, most of the medieval stonework remains. But this once imposing building was part of a much larger structure, serving as the Northern Administrative Centre and perhaps the Treasury Department.
In the 1800s, Clifford's Tower became part of a large prison complex, including the courtroom. Giant walls were built around the tower and Motte, so we couldn't see it from the outside. The prison was finally closed in 1929, and most of the prison buildings were demolished in 1935.
The site is under the control of English Heritage and is now officially listed as a Grade I and classified as a planned monument nationwide.
More remember, British Heritage invested £5 million as part of a major renovation. Just like in the rafts of maintenance work, stairs and railings have been repaired, and a freestanding timber structure with passages and stairs has been added, leading the roof deck to a 32 feet (10m). Now the passage above the roof is much wider, and the railing around the edge is much higher, safer and more stable.
If you are in York, it is worth a visit.
