Helmsley Castle, Helmsley (North York Moors)

Helmsley Castle's medieval ruins stand beside the attractive market town of Helmsley.

Summary

13th century buildings (or older)
Information provided
Learning facilities
Audio guide
Public car parking for a charge (nearby)

Introduction

Surrounded by spectacular banks and ditches, the great medieval Helmsley Castle's impressive ruins stand beside the attractive market town of Helmsley.

Explore 900 years of history at Helmsley Castle. Learn the history of the castle with the interactive exhibition, displays of original artefacts and a free audio tour and discover how it evolved from a medieval fortress to a romantic Victorian ruin.

The castle boasts a visitor centre providing tourist information, an audio tour, and an imaginative hands-on exhibition in the mansion range.

History to the present day

The fortress was probably begun after 1120 by Walter Espec - 'Walter the Woodpecker'. Renowned for piety as well as soldiering, this Norman baron of 'gigantic stature' also founded nearby Rievaulx Abbey and Kirkham Priory, both English Heritage properties.

Most of Helmsley's surviving stonework defences were raised during the late 12th and 13th centuries by the crusader Robert de Roos and his descendants. They include a pair of immensely strong 'barbican' entrances and the high, keep-like east tower, unusually D-shaped in plan, which still dominates the town

But Helmsley is not only a medieval fortress. During the Elizabethan period the Manners family remodelled the castle's chamber block into a luxurious mansion, whose fine plasterwork and panelling still partly survive. The castle's first and last military trial came during the Civil War. Held for King Charles, it endured a three-month siege before being starved into submission in November 1644 by Parliamentarians under Sir Thomas Fairfax, who was seriously wounded in the fighting. Fairfax then dismantled the defences but spared the mansion, subsequently the home of his daughter and her husband, the profligate Duke of Buckingham.

Demoted to a romantic backdrop when later owners moved to nearby Duncombe Park, Helmsley Castle has undergone a thorough makeover by English Heritage, making it more accessible to a wide range of visitors. This includes a visitor centre building which also houses the Tourist Information Centre, an audio tour, and an imaginative handson exhibition in the mansion range. Displaying a fascinating array of finds from Civil War cannon balls to early tableware, this exhibition explores the social and domestic, as well as the military, aspects of the fortress. Facilities for disabled visitors include full ground-level ramping, a virtual tour of less accessible areas, and a tactile model with braille text. Enhanced learning resources include family-friendly books and activities.

Other facilities

Parking is in a large car park North of the castle and a charge is payable.

Toilets are located in the car park and in the town centre. Find out about other sites in the area from the Tourist Information Centre, which is located in the visitor centre.

Access: Full ground level ramping and a virtual tour of less accessible areas are available for disabled visitors.

Visually Impaired Visitors: Tactile model of the castle with braille text.

Arrival information and how to find us

Address: Helmsley Castle, Helmsley, North York Moors, , United Kingdom

Road Access: Near the town centre.

Bus Access: Scarborough & District 128 from Scarborough railway station.

Opening Times: April to March

1 Apr-30 Sep 10am-6pm Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
1 Oct-1 Nov 10am-5pm Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
2 Nov-28 Feb 10am-4pm Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
1-31 Mar 10am-5pm Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun.
24-26 Dec and 1 Jan Closed.

Price:

Adult: £4.50

Children: £2.30

Concession: £3.80

Photographs courtesy of English Heritage Photo Library.

More photos of Helmsley Castle, Helmsley