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View Full Version : Richmond Castle - Yorkshire - April 2011



Krypton
27-04-2011, 07:17 PM
Richmond Castle in Richmond, North Yorkshire, England, stands in a commanding position above the River Swale, close to the centre of the town of Richmond. It was originally called Riche Mount, 'the strong hill'. The castle was constructed from 1071 onwards as part of the Norman Conquest of Saxon England as the Domesday Book of 1086 refers to 'a castlery' at Richmond in that year.

William the Conqueror had put down the 1069 rebellion at York which was followed by his "harrying of the North" - an act of ethnic cleansing which depopulated large areas for a generation or more. As a further punishment he divided up the lands of north Yorkshire among his most loyal followers. Alain Le Roux de Ponthievre of Brittany received the borough of Richmond and began constructing the castle to defend against further rebellions and establish a personal power base for one of the most extensive Norman estates in England which covered parts of eight counties - the Honour of Richmond. The Dukes of Brittany became the owners of the castle though it was often confiscated for various periods by English Kings.

As a castle Richmond had fallen out of use by the end of the 14th century and did not receive major improvements after that date. A survey of 1538 shows it was ruinous but paintings by Turner and others and the rise of tourism and an interest in antiquities led to repairs to the keep in the early 19th century.

The castle became the headquarters of the North Yorkshire Militia in 1855, with a military barracks constructed in the great courtyard. The barracks were the home of Boy Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell for two years until 1910 while he commanded the Northern Territorial Army but the barracks building was eventually demolished in 1931.

The castle was used during the First World War as the base of the Non-Combatant Corps made up of conscientious objectors - conscripts who refused to fight. It was also used to imprison some conscientious objectors who refused to accept army discipline and participate in the war in any way. These included 'the Richmond 16' who were taken to France from the castle, charged under Field Regulations and then sentenced to death, these death sentences then being commuted to ten years' hard labour.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5141/5660657628_b32243fcfa_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660657628/)
The Norman Keep

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5660656254_7a6b2553f7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660656254/)
Prison Block for Conciencous Objectors (Not open to the public- not even when i flashed my little puppy dog eyes )

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5660089651_65e49ddbb2_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660089651/)
Another view of the main buildings

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5270/5660067779_6ae8a44d66_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660067779/)
View from the top of the Prison Block.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5660068907_7ab7cc4447_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660068907/)
Climb up to the top

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5228/5660070019_463ca7f947_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660070019/)
Halfway there

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/5660071147_5e1760ee42_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660071147/)
Nearly there

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/5660642562_a967c6094c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660642562/)
The view over Richmond

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5261/5660636048_faa8cf62ce_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660636048/)
Looking into the compound thing

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5264/5660084781_444d5fe8f9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryptonuk/5660084781/)
An over exaggerated sign lol

Not that interesting but seems though we have a Heritage section i thought i would post :)

joybee
27-04-2011, 08:18 PM
Nice shots there :smile If your puppy dog peepers couldn't influence, there's no hope for the rest of us :(

Krypton
27-04-2011, 08:33 PM
It looked really good as well - like it had not been touched since 1918

SilentHill
27-04-2011, 10:26 PM
Nice work mate. Castles are always interesting :thumb

Krypton
28-04-2011, 04:25 PM
Theyve highlighted the fact i need my sensor cleaning!