By the 13th century it was in the hands of the Archbishop of York and in 1322 Archbishop Melton agreed to defend it in times of war. By  part of the city wall had been built along the south-east and south-west sides of the Old Baile, incorporating the existing ramparts and ditch, however, these defences were rarely called into use.
By the 13th century, the Archbishop of York held possession of the site. In 1322, Archbishop Melton agreed to defend it during wartime. A section of the city wall was built along the south-east and south-west sides of the Old Baile, incorporating existing fortifications. However, these defenses were rarely used.