Barwick-in-Elmet Castle facts for kids
Barwick-in-Elmet Castle was an old fort in the village of Barwick-in-Elmet, located in West Yorkshire, England. It was built to the east of the city of Leeds.
A Look Back in Time: The Castle's History
The area where the castle stood has a very long history. It was first used by people during the Iron Age, which was thousands of years ago. They built a hill fort there, and you can still see parts of it today! Old coins from around 100-200 BC have even been found nearby.
Later, the Romans built a strong wall on the northern part of a high area called Wendel Hill. The village grew and became even stronger during the Dark Ages. It was known as an important place for the Kings of Northumberland, who ruled that part of England. Some stories say that King Edwin of Northumberland lived here.
After the Normans conquered England, the land was given to a powerful person named Ilbert de Lacy. He built a new type of castle called a motte and bailey fort. This castle was on a steep hill, which became known as Hall Tower Hill. It had an outer wall and two deep ditches around it to protect it. One ditch was said to be about 33 feet deep! After the Lacy family, the Duke of Lancaster took control of the land and the castle.
What's Left Today?
Most of the lower part of the castle, called the bailey, has been built over and destroyed over time. However, you can still see parts of the old ditch that surrounded the castle. It's not as deep as it used to be, now only about 14 feet deep.
Images for kids
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A 3D computer view of the castle area
