Skipton Castle Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Skipton Castle
Skipton, North Yorkshire, England
Skipton Castle gatehouse
Skipton Castle
Coordinates	53°57′49″N 2°00′52″W / 53.9637342°N 2.0143676°W / 53.9637342; -2.0143676
Type	Castle
Site information
Owner	The Fattorini family
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Complete
Site history
Built	c. 1090
Built by	Robert de Romille
In use	Until December 1645
Materials	millstone grit

Skipton Castle is a very old castle in Skipton, North Yorkshire, England. It's considered a special historic building. A Norman lord named Robert de Romille built it around 1090. This amazing castle has stood for over 930 years! Today, it's a popular place to visit and is still lived in.

The Castle's Long Story
- The English Civil War
- Lady Anne Clifford's Legacy
Castle Design and Features
Images for kids
People Buried Here
See also

The Castle's Long Story

Skipton Castle around 1890 – 1900

Skipton Castle started as a simple "motte and bailey" castle in 1090. This meant it had a wooden fort on a raised mound (the motte) and a fenced yard (the bailey). Robert de Romille, a powerful lord, built it. Later, King Henry I gave Romille even more land.

To make the castle stronger against attacks, especially from the Scots, the wooden parts were rebuilt with stone. The castle was built in a great spot, with steep cliffs behind it dropping down to Eller Beck. This made it very hard for enemies to attack.

Over time, the Romille family no longer owned the castle. In 1310, King Edward II gave it to Robert Clifford. He became the Lord Clifford of Skipton. Robert Clifford quickly started making the castle's defenses even better. Sadly, he died in a battle in 1314, before the work was finished. Even so, when the Scots raided Skipton in 1322, the castle was strong enough to survive the attack.

The English Civil War

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), Skipton Castle was a stronghold for the Royalists, who supported the King. It was the very last Royalist castle in northern England to give up. After being surrounded for three years, the Royalists finally surrendered in December 1645.

After the surrender, Oliver Cromwell, who led the Parliamentarian forces, ordered the castle's roofs to be removed. This was a way to make sure the castle couldn't be used as a military base again. There's a cool story that during the siege, sheep fleeces were hung over the castle walls. People say this was to soften the impact of cannonballs! You can even see sheep fleeces on the town's coat of arms today.

Lady Anne Clifford's Legacy

Skipton Castle remained the main home for the Clifford family until 1676. Lady Anne Clifford (1590–1676) was the last Clifford to own it. After the Civil War, she took charge of repairing the castle. To remember this important repair, she planted a yew tree in the castle's central courtyard. This tree is still there today!

After Lady Anne, the castle passed to the Tufton family. Today, Skipton Castle is a well-preserved medieval castle. It's a popular place for tourists to visit and is also a private home. The castle is also the starting point for the 100-mile Lady Anne's Way walking path to Penrith.

Castle Design and Features

Skipton Castle has six large, round towers. A living area connects two of these towers on the north side, protected by the steep drop to Eller Beck.

On the first floor, you can find the original kitchen, the great hall (a big room for gatherings), smaller sitting rooms, and the lord's bedroom. Downstairs, on the ground floor, there are newer kitchens, storage areas, and workrooms. The other towers were mainly for military use.

In the 1500s and 1600s, some changes were made. A new entrance staircase was added, replacing the old drawbridge. More living space was built, and bigger windows were put into the original castle walls. The roof is still completely intact, which is amazing for such an old castle!

In the middle of the castle is a courtyard called the Conduit Court. This is where Lady Anne Clifford is said to have planted the famous yew tree in 1659.

The castle also has an outer wall that surrounds the inner parts and other buildings. This includes the remains of a chapel from the 1100s. The outer wall is mostly still standing and has a gatehouse with two towers. One of the gatehouse towers has a special "shell grotto" from the 1600s, which is a room decorated with shells.

There's also an ancient well inside the castle. This well might be why the castle's defenders were able to survive the long siege during the Civil War.