Clifford's Tower, North Yorkshire

Clifford's Tower (or York Castle) is a fortified complex comprising, over the last 900 years, a sequence of castles, prisons, law courts and con the south bank of the River Foss. The now-ruinous keep was built originally on the orders of William I to dominate the former Viking city of York.

The first motte and bailey castle on the site was built in 1068. It was later rebuilt and reinforced with the addition of a moat and an artificial lake.

York Castle was an important royal fortification in the north of England.
In 1190, 150 local Jews were killed in a pogrom in the castle keep. Henry III rebuilt the castle in stone in the middle of the 13th century, creating a keep with a unique quatrefoil design, supported by an outer bailey wall and a substantial gatehouse.

York Castle fell into disrepair by the 15th and 16th centuries, becoming used increasingly as a jail for both local felons and political prisoners. By the time of Elizabeth I the castle had lost all of its military value but was maintained as a centre of royal authority in York. The English Civil War in 1642 saw York Castle being repaired and refortified, playing a part in the Royalist defence of York in 1644 against Parliamentary forces. York Castle continued to be garrisoned until 1684, when an explosion destroyed the interior of Clifford's Tower. The castle bailey was redeveloped in a neoclassical style in the 18th century and was used as a jail and debtors' prison. Prison reform in the 19th century led to the creation of a new prison built in a Tudor Gothic style on the castle site in 1825. This facility was demolished in 1935. By the 20th century the ruin of Clifford's Tower had become a well-known tourist destination and national monument.

(Photograph courtesy of Trish & Chris Seymour).

Opening Times

Opening Days and times vary throughout the year. Please check the website.

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Ticket Prices

Adults: £3.90
Children: £2.30
Concessions: £3.50
EH Member: Free
Family Ticket: £10.10

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Disabled Facilities

The tower has 55 entrance steps, uneven surfaces and hazardous walkways.
For visually impaired visitors a sighted companion is essential.
Tactile model with Braille captions in courtyard, reached via 55 steps.

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More Information

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