A Brief History of Pontefract
The current town does not fully relay the importance of Pontefract during the Middle Ages.
At its height, Pontefract was the 4th largest town in modern day Yorkshire and its castle was deemed
A Brief History of Pontefract
The current town does not fully relay the importance of Pontefract during the Middle Ages.
At its height, Pontefract was the 4th largest town in modern day Yorkshire and its castle was deemed one of the most unassailable in the country. It was the main settlement of modern West Yorkshire.
Modern day Pontefract can be traced back to the Saxon times and featured in the Domesday Book, albeit as two separate villages. The two areas slowly merged and became known as Pontefract, or Pomfret, around the 12th century. The name Pontefract is taken from the Latin Pons – meaning bridge, and Fractus – meaning broken. The exact location of this broken bridge is still debated, as the nearest probable location of a bridge crossing over the River Aire is approximately 2 miles away.
Pontefract Castle was built on the site of an earlier Saxon fort atop a rocky spur to the east of the current Market Place and town centre. It is unknown if the original Saxon keep was constructed from timber or stone. The elevated rocky plateau commanded great views as well as making it almost impregnable to attack. It was built by the Norman baron Ilbert de Lacy who arrived in England within the ranks of William the Conqueror at the 1066 conquest. William granted Ilbert the lordship of Pontefract as well as 150 other estates throughout Yorkshire. These estates that Pontefract Castle would soon regulate over included Leeds, Bradford and most of the land towards Huddersfield. Pontefract Castle later passed into royal ownership and was visited many times by various kings and queens. The unconquerable walls of the castle led it to be used for the secure holding of important prisoners.
The most famous prisoner held within Pontefract Castle was undoubtedly King Richard II. Richard didn’t survive his deposition for long. His death was announced in February 1400, but it is unclear exactly when or how he died. Forced starvation is currently deemed the most likely. Other prominent prisoners included the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon, who were incarcerated in Pontefract Castle for thirty three years, and James I of Scotland who was also a fellow prisoner there at this time.
Pontefract became a prominent castle and prison during the Wars of the Roses and the Civil War. Pontefract Castle found itself under siege on three occasions during the Civil War. On the outbreak of the Civil War between the King and his Parliament, Pontefract Castle was garrisoned by the King’s troops. After the fall of York, Pontefract Castle was soon under siege by Parliamentary forces led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Colonel Lambert. The siege started in earnest on Christmas Day 1644 and continued until the 1st March when Sir Marmaduke Langdale led a Royalist army to success at the Battle of Chequerfield, Pontefract. The success of this battle lifted the First Siege of Pontefract Castle. The respite however, did not last long and the Royalist garrison did not get to enjoy their stronghold in peace as on the 28th March the Second Siege of Pontefract Castle was actively commenced and lasted four months until a treaty was signed and control of the castle switched to the Roundheads.
On the 3rd June 1648 Colonel Morris and Captain W Paulden, in d