York Guides

The North of England was very reluctant to submit to the Norman Conquest. William built one castle at York in 1068 and a second the next year hoping to cow the region with this show of strength. However in the autumn of 1069, a Danish fleet sailed up Humber and Ouse to sack York. The local population rallied with the fleet to attack the castles at York. The Garrisons were overpowered but not before setting fires which roared out of control through the city. The Danes and their allies dismantled the castles before William could mount a relief expedition. When William and his forces did respond they found York deserted. As a warning to any future rebels William burnt many towns and villages in Yorkshire - this was known as the "Harrying of the North" and is traceable in the Domesday Book valuations nearly twenty years later. William rebuilt the castles at York, enlarging one of them.

These early castles were usually built of earth and timber. A high flat topped mound or motte would be made of earth taken from the surrounding ditch, a wooden tower would be constructed on top of the mound. Other buildings were clustered round the motte within an enclosure protected by a bank and ditch, the bailey. Timber fences were built along the bailey banks and round the edge of the motte-top to increase the defences. A ladder or staircase would provide access between the bailey and the tower

The two castles of York remain to this day, they face each across the Ouse near Skeldergate Bridge. South of the river the castles bailey has been built over, but the motte clearly survives. Two roads - Bishopgate Street and Prices Lane follow the line of the bailey ditches. This site is still known as the Old Baile. In 1802 a pot filled with coins of Edward the Confessor and William the Conqueror was found here. Excavations in 1968 at the Baile Hill found steps cut into clay leading up to a building on the top that was found to be early Norman.

Across the river, on the north side, the mound of York Castle is very obvious. When the tower was underpinned in the early 1900s it was seen that the mound was built up in horizontal layers of gravel, clay and stones to about two thirds of its present height. Then two timber platforms of thick oak slabs over which were piles of large stones. This was probably part of Williams ill fated first castle. The only William I coins found during these excavations were lead forgeries. The original bailey was oval shaped, but over the years has been much altered. Traces of the original palisaded bank and ditch were found to the east of the mound. The Normans dammed the River Foss as a water defence and a fishpond for food, the resultant lake was called the King's Pool.

York sought its independence by the middle of the twelfth century. The city's first charter dates from 1154-1158 early in the reign of Henry II and there is both documentary and architectural evidence of Norman work in the walls and city gates at this time. After appearing at the coronation of Richard the Lionheart in 1189 Jews were attacked by mobs. This sparked off similar attacks against Jews throughout  the country. York was not immune, in 1190 the harassed Jews of York were given shelter in the tower. But after refusing to readmit the sheriff, they were besieged within the tower. With angry mobs baying outside many of the Jews killed their families before taking their own lives. The whole castle was burnt down in an attempt to cremate the bodies and cover up the carnage. However the castle was quickly rebuilt and the motte was raised to its present height. Records show that during the reign of King John (1199-1216) much money was spent on masonry, and in 1225 the wooden palisades and houses of the castle were repaired. Old prints suggest that the central archway of the Castle Gate was Norman.  Another great gate used to stand behind the present County Courts and open on to the area called Walmgate, surrounded by a bank and ditch.