A Self-Guided Tour of Middleham Castle

Shown to the right is a simplified plan of the castle, adapted from the plan in the English Heritage guidebook.The red dots show locations and/or points of view for selected photos of the castle.

Click on the dot to view the photo and to read explanatory material. Each photo page includes a miniature version of the plan showing the location of the photographer and the area covered in the photo.

Most of the text is based on the English Heritage handbook on Middleham Castle written by John Weaver. Laura would be grateful if any inaccuracies of interpretation were pointed out to her at the e-mail address shown below.

Fast Facts about the Castle

Original Castle (before 1170)

• History: Little known of its history or construction, although it seems certain that it was built in the late eleventh or early twelfth century, and that it was all of wood
• Site: on the west end a ridge southwest of the present castle, called "William's Hill"
• Motte: a mound about 40 feet high, surrounded by a ditch 20 feet wide
• Bailey: kidney-shaped enclosure to the east of the motte, also surrounded by a ditch
• Other defenses: series of banks and ditches, running north to south, cut across ridge to the east of the castle.

New Castle

• Site: A less-defensible site on lower ground just northeast of the original castle.
• Overall Dimensions: Curtain walls approximately 180 x 240 feet, enclosing roughly one acre for the existing castle complex. A 1538 survey refers to a wall 100 yards long enclosing one side of an outer courtyard to the east of the castle.
• Entrance: Originally from the east, by the Chapel; additional entrance with gatehouse and guard Tower constructed in the North Range. Outer courtyard and forebuildings (stables, slaughterhouses, pottery, smithy, etc.) to east of Castle.
• Keep: probably built ca. 1170-80.
  Dimensions: 105 feet, north-south; 78 feet, east-west, 66 feet to top of main parapet. Kitchen and cellars on ground floor; Great Hall, small oratory (chapel), great chamber and privy or presence chamber on first floor.
  Thick stone walls (12 feet thick at one point on south wall)
  Second story room or clerestory above Great Hall built some time in 15th century
• Chapel Complex: Connected to east wall of keep, probably built ca. 1300; upper part rebuilt in fifteenth century. Three stories. Ground floor, first floor chambers probably living quarters for clerical staff; large chapel on second storey.
• Curtain Walls and Corner Towers: Originally built ca. 1300, probably heightened in 15th century when ranges (buildings just inside the curtain walls) were added.
• Southeast Tower: Two storeys, built ca 1300, survive. There is no remaining evidence to tell whether an additional storey was added in the fifteenth-century expansion. Contains one chamber with fireplace and latrine access per floor. Latrines added in 15th century; structure that may be a brewing vat added in ground floor chamber, 16th century.
• South Range: Ground floor built ca. 1300; first floor ca 1400-25. Ground floor, east to west; small chamber; chamber with ovens; horsemill; two chambers. Ovens and horsemill added 16th century. First floor: four chambers. The two on the west were en-suite and connected to the presence chamber in the keep by a wooden gallery. Suite is identified in 1538 survey as "privy or lady chamber."
• Southwest ("Prince's") Tower: Tradition says that Richard III's only legitimate child was born here. First two storeys built ca 1300; two more storeys added ca. 15th century. Basement and three chambers with fireplaces and separate latrines.
• West Range: Two storeys; four high-quality chambers with fireplaces and latrines on upper storey; four lesser-quality chambers on ground floor. A central ("garderobe") tower provided eight latrines as well as two small chambers. At the southern end, the upper storey chamber is identified as "Nursee" (nursery) in the 1538 survey; the ground-floor chamber contains bake-ovens, a later addition.
• Northwest Tower:The first two storeys were built ca. 1300; the third probably 1400-1425; the top storey and latrine block 1425-1461. The tower contained a basement and three chambers, each with fireplace and latrines.
• North Range: Lower part of curtain wall built ca 1300; remaining construction probably 1425-1462. Two chambers to the west and one to the east of a central tower on each of two storeys; central tower with latrines and two small chambers. The chambers in this range were used by administrative staff in the sixteenth century and may have served a similar purpose in the fifteenth.
• Gatehouse and Northeast Tower: Entrance is through the eastern end of the North Range through a vaulted passageway. The gatehouse is three storeys high. The gatehouse included a guardroom at ground level with additional chambers above, probably the residence of an officer of the household. Lower storeys built ca. 1300; upper storeys and passageway a later addition.

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