Pontefract was referred to as "Pomfret". William Shakespeare's play "Richard III" mentions the castle:<br> Pomfret is referred to in Shakespeare's Richard II also My lord, the mind of Bolingbroke is changed:You must to Pomfret, not unto the Tower.And, madam, there is order ta'en for you;With all swift speed you must away to France Pontefract suffered throughout the English Civil War. In 1648–49 the castle was laid under siege by Oliver Cromwell, who said it was "... one of the strongest inland garrisons in the kingdom." Three sieges by the Parliamentarians left the town "impoverished and depopulated". In March 1649, after the
John Roches John Roches Sir John Roches (c.1333-1400), of Bromham, Wiltshire, was an English admiral, diplomat, magistrate and politician. He was made Ambassador to the Kingdom of Aragon from 30 October 1377 to 4 May 1378, and then again 20 June 1378 . He was then elected as Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Wiltshire in 1381, May 1382, October 1382, February 1383, April 1384, November 1390, 1394, January 1397 and 1399. He was first appointed Admiral to the West a senior command of the English Navy from 22 May 1381 to 23 November 1383. He was then given the