Helmsley Castle

Helmsley Castle, the remains of the East Tower

Helmsley Castle (also known anciently as Hamlake) is a medieval castle situated in the market town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England.

The castle was first constructed in wood around 1120 by Walter l'Espec. Walter had no children and on his death in 1154 the castle passed to his sister Adelina who had married Peter de Roos. In 1186 their son Robert de Roos began work on converting the castle to stone. He built the two main towers, the round corner towers and the main gateway on the south side of the castle.

Helmsley Castle remained in the possession of the de Roos family until 1478 when Edmund de Roos sold the castle to Richard, Duke of Gloucester who later became Richard III. Richard did nothing to the castle, staying instead at nearby Middleham Castle. After Richard III's death at the Battle of Bosworth, Helmsley castle was restored to Edmund de Roos by Henry VII.

During the English Civil War, the castle was besieged by Sir Thomas Fairfax in 1644. Sir Jordan Crosland held it for the King for three months before surrendering. Parliament ordered that the castle should be slighted to prevent its further use and so much of the castle's walls, gates and the eastern half of the east tower were destroyed.

Photo 539, May 2011