Pontefract Castle

About the museum

Pontefract Castle was founded in the years after the Norman Conquest of 1066 and grew into one of the strongest fortresses in northern England. Ilbert de Lacy is named as its builder around 1086, and in the thirteenth century it was known as the Key to the North.

The castle has a dramatic past. Richard II was held here in 1399 and died in the castle in 1400, and the site is linked with the Pilgrimage of Grace, the northern uprising against Henry VIII in 1536. It withstood several sieges during the English Civil War, and coins were made from scrap metal inside the walls during that time. After the siege of 1648 the castle was demolished in 1649.

The ruins were later used for growing liquorice, a local crop, and in the 1880s the grounds were turned into a Victorian pleasure garden. Today the keep mound, the remains of the Norman chapel of St Clement and a restored medieval herb garden can be seen. Wakefield Council runs the castle, with a visitor centre, cafe and gift shop, and visitors can go on guided tours of the dungeon, a medieval wine cellar once used as a prison.

Highlights

• Ruins of the keep and motte with views over Pontefract
• Dungeon tour in the medieval wine cellar
• Medieval herb garden with more than 160 plants
• Civil War siege coins on display in the visitor centre
• Castle playground and free Sunday craft activities

Permanent exhibitions

• Castle ruins and grounds – The remains of the keep, the Norman chapel of St Clement and the site where Richard II was held, set in a Victorian pleasure garden.
• Visitor centre displays – Archaeological finds, Civil War armour and siege coins, with videos and performances about the castle's story.
• Medieval herb garden – A garden of more than 160 plants used for cooking, medicine and dyeing, looked after by volunteers.

Founded

1070

Operated by

Wakefield Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the castle is free and no ticket is needed. Guided tours (Dungeon Tour, Explorer Tour) and some workshops have a small fee and can be booked in advance; the amounts are not published on the website. Rail passengers get 25% off Dungeon Tours with a Good Journey ticket.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Most of the site is accessible to wheelchair users, with some limits because of the historic setting. The path from the car park is step-free but cobbled and uneven in places (122 m, gradient 1 in 13), and the keep mound is reached by steps. A drop-off point with level access is at the front of the castle. An accessible toilet with baby changing is at the visitor centre entrance and needs no RADAR key; there is no Changing Places toilet on site. A hearing loop is available. The dungeon is reached by 44 steep steps and is not suitable for wheelchair users. Staff are trained in Makaton, sighted guiding and autism awareness, and a visual story and sensory map can be downloaded. Assistance dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

Free drop-in craft activities run on Sundays from 11am to 3pm, and storytelling sessions for young children take place in term time. Multi-sensory explorer backpacks can be borrowed free at the gift shop. The playground has swings, slides and climbing frames, and children can dress up as a lord, lady or soldier. Paths are gravel or stone with level access, but the keep mound has steps and there is no pushchair storage. The dungeon tour is for ages 5 and over.

Getting there & parking

From 11 September to 27 November 2026 there is no vehicle access up to the main entrance because of roadworks. During this time two temporary Blue Badge bays are available at a nearby business on Micklegate. The castle is near the A1 and junction 32 of the M62.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The Keep Cafe in the visitor centre offers children's options and vegan and gluten-free choices. The gift shop sells sweets, soft toys, dressing-up costumes, books and herb cuttings. Picnics are welcome at benches around the site.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

A site hire page is published.

Plan your visit