Baile Hill facts for kids
Baile Hill is a special man-made earth mound located in the Bishophill area of York, England. It's the only part left of an old fort called the Old Baile. This hill helps us imagine what the area looked like many centuries ago.
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How Baile Hill Began
Baile Hill has a long history, starting way back in 1068. After William the Conqueror took control of York, he decided to build a castle on the south side of the city. This castle was very close to the River Ouse.
The very next year, people in York rebelled against William. To keep control, he built a second castle on the other side of the river. Historians believe the first castle was where York Castle is today, and the second one was the Old Baile, where Baile Hill now stands.
What is a Motte and Bailey Castle?
The Old Baile was built like a "motte and bailey" castle. This was a common design for castles back then.
- The motte was a tall, round earth mound. At Baile Hill, it was about 12 meters (40 feet) high and 66 meters (180 feet) wide.
- A big ditch surrounded the motte for protection.
- Wooden steps led up to a wooden tower or building on top of the motte. This building was also protected by a wooden fence.
- The bailey was a larger, flat area next to the motte. It was shaped like a rectangle.
- The bailey had its own earth wall, called a rampart, and another ditch around it.
Later Years of the Old Baile
The Old Baile castle wasn't used as a main fortress for very long. By the 1200s, it was owned by the Archbishop of York. In 1322, Archbishop Melton promised to protect it if there was a war.
Around 1340, parts of the city wall were built around the Old Baile. These new walls used the old earth walls and ditches of the castle. However, these defenses were rarely needed for battles.
Baile Hill in the Civil War
One important time Baile Hill was used was during the English Civil War in 1644. This was when the city of York was under attack. Baile Hill became a place where the royalist soldiers put their cannons.
Most of the time, though, the Old Baile was used for peaceful activities. People would let their animals graze there. It was also a popular spot for recreation, especially for practicing archery during the medieval period.
Baile Hill Today
Today, Baile Hill is still there at the corner of Baile Hill Terrace and Cromwell Road. It's a quiet reminder of York's past.
You can still see a few other small signs of the old castle. There are two slight dips in the city wall nearby. One is right next to Baile Hill, and the other is near Victoria Bar. These dips show where the old castle's ditch used to be. Most of the rest of the Old Baile area is now covered by houses built in the 1880s.
