If youre interested in learning more about the architecture of Pontefract Castle, or if youre just looking for a unique and beautiful place to visit, then be sure to add it to your list! He made the castle his personal residence, spending vast amounts of money improving it. The ghost cams here, as well pictures from visitors, capture many full-bodied apparitions. Another A white figure has been seen here since the 1980's. This theme is continued in the name of bars in the Xscape complex located in Glasshoughton between Pontefract and Castleford, referred to locally as Cas Vegas. He was made a peer on 11 June 1997. (Calendar years are not repeated at 100-year intervals in either the Julian or Gregorian calendars.) A maid who killed herself is also sometimes seen, as well as that of a gardener or gamekeeper. WebPontefract cakes (also known as Pomfret cakes and Pomfrey cakes) are a type of small, roughly circular black sweet measuring approximately 3/4" (2 cm) wide and 1/5" (4mm) thick, made of liquorice, originally manufactured in the Yorkshire town of Pontefract, England . Pontefract used to boast two cricket clubs, Lakeside CC (based in Pontefract Park) and Pontefract CC (adjacent to Pontefract Collieries FC), but by 2002 neither of these clubs were still in existence, leaving the town without its own club despite giving its name to the Pontefract and District Cricket League. While making his pitch to a candy wholesaler, Thompson knocked over his box of samples on the counter, creating a colourful display. Rugby Union has been played in the town since the 19th century when Pontefract won the Yorkshire Cup. Dr Eric Houlder, PontArch Archaeological Society. Located in the heart of West Yorkshire, this historic market town is home to the picturesque ruins of one of Englands most important castles (once known as The Key To The North) as well as a brace of beautiful parks, some outstanding examples of Georgian architecture, and a whole host of independent boutiques and coffee shops. [5] The de Lacys lived in the castle until the early 14th century. Pontefract Racecourse Vacations ; Pontefract Swimming Pool Vacations ; Pontefract Town Hall Vacations ; Kinsley Greyhound Stadium Vacations ; Pontefract Museum Vacations ; Mid Yorkshire Golf Club Vacations ; Peak District National Park Vacations ; University of Leeds Vacations ; York Racecourse Vacations ; First Direct Objects are known to move or fall down. And, for more slander to thy dismal seat, That Harry Duke of Herford, Rainold Lord Cobham, The castle was built by William the Conqueror on top of a sandstone outcrop overlooking the River Aire. This leads to muscle failure and high blood pressure. Biker, 18, fighting for his life after horror Wakefield crash, West Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses after the man was taken to hospital, Yorkshire butcher speaks out after 'sick' Jeffrey Dahmer freezer joke, The local butcher isn't one to shy away from a controversial pun with recent advertisements referencing the likes of serial killer Jeffery Dahmer and the Philip Schofield queue saga, The Yorkshire pumpkin picking place visitors rave about, With 200,000 pumpkins it's the UK's biggest and arguably the best, Police appeal for help in finding missing Pontefract man, Carl Blakey was last seen in Horse Fair and officers are keen to trace the 44-year-old, Thunderstorm last night in Yorkshire 'shakes houses' as 'crazy' weather caught on camera, Car alarms set off and houses shook as big storm hits Yorkshire in the early hours of Monday morning, Pontefract fire as dramatic pictures emerge of huge blaze, They battled the fire in the dark last night after a field burst into flames in Spitalgap Lane, Tragic final moments of mum, 31, who took her own life as partner nipped out with daughter for food, An inquest at Wakefield Coroners' Court concluded Indre's cause of death was suicide, Yorkshire's Haribo factory is hiring this summer - and you get a huge discount on sweets, The temporary summer positions pay the equivalent of 11.16 per hour, Yorkshire man with 'pounding headaches' actually had brain tumour, Pub manager Ben Wilson had put his symptoms down to a 'busy life', Puppy parlour and spa treatments for pampered pets at revamped Pets at Home, There is also a new pet village and VIP offers. In fact it was the rugged and wild landscape of West Yorkshire that inspired the creative genius of the Bronte sisters and when you visit The church is likely to be at Tanshelf and may have been similar to the church at Ledsham. Pendel Hill is the equivalent of Salem, Massachusetts. It lies around 3miles (5km) southeast of its nearest town of size, Pontefract, close to the A1 road. Mood swings, nausea, and disorientation are reported An apparition has been photographed here numerous times and is believed to be a woman named Norah; another woman named Kitty is also seen. After the death of worker Carl Paulsen, a ghost resembling him started appearing, as well. Pop: 28250 (2001), Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Licorice, Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents and Strange Events, The Rivers of Great Britain: Rivers of the East Coast, Notes and Queries, Number 54, November 9, 1850. Not everybody likes liquorice, but the people who like liquorice really like liquorice. Liquorice seems not to have troubled the history books much until the eighteenth century when the enterprising Dunhill family rented land in Pontefract Castle to grow liquorice plants. Access from the A1 is via a junction at the nearby village of Darrington, while access from the M62 is via Junction 32 (also for Castleford) and Junction 33 (also for Knottingley). The wholesaler looked at the assortment and placed an order for the mixture. The Strange Story of Britains Oldest Sweet.. Pontefract Monkhill and Pontefract Tanshelf connect with Leeds, Wakefield Westgate and Wakefield Kirkgate. Frank Barlow, William I and the Norman Conquest (London: The English Universities Press, 1965) p.95. And even today, the major streets in Pontefract are designated by the Danish word 'gate' e.g. La' Chance closed his thesis by suggesting that, in all likelihood, the outlaw drew his final breath at Saint Nicholas's hospital, Kirkby (modern day Pontefract), which would account for the reference to Robin Hood's death in the Poly-Olbion.[32]. The factory was churning out sweets that were layers of liquorice and sugary goop mixed with coconut. There are also rail services from Bradford Interchange to London, which stop at Pontefract Monkhill. Win. The local newspaper is the Pontefract and Castleford Express. Submitted by Chris Berglund, The beheaded ghost of Piers Gaveston is reported here. The Anglo-Scandinavian township of Tanshelf recorded variously as Tateshale, Tateshalla, Tateshalle or Tatessella in the Domesday Book of 1086 existed in the region that is today occupied by the town of Pontefract. Initially the castle was a wooden structure which was replaced with stone over time. Pontefract Castle is most famous for being the site of the murder of King Richard II of England. Around this time, you might see full-bodied apparitions in the corridors, become mysterously sick within the cells, feel suffocated, uneasy, and watched, all while encountering a variety of sinister ghosts including Once the George Inn and Lafferty's Pub, a woman's skull is still here and said to come with poltergeist activity (when the skull was sent to be examined, similar activity followed in that location). The castle was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror and has been home to many royalty and nobility over the centuries. However, visitors today would find this unbelievable to understand. WebWelcome to Pontefract. "[15] Three sieges by the Parliamentarians left the town "impoverished and depopulated". Yorkshire.com (International) Ltd. Headquarters: Tower Court Oakdale Road, Clifton Moor, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 4XL. A new sports centre is located at Pontefract Park which opened on 12 April 2021, which replaces the old swimming pool located on Stuart Road. Brewer, 2000) pp. When the Roman Empire collapsed, they left liquorice plants as a fond memento of the occupation. In the middle of the night, guests here banging and other strange noises. In the closing years of the 14th century, Richard II banished John of Gaunts son Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, from England. In 2004, a Yorkshire woman was admitted to hospital after overdosing on Pontefract Cakes. (Submitted by Chris Berglund), The ghost of a woman in a Victorian dress has been seen wandering the area between Platform 1 and 2. WebPontefract, historic market town, Wakefield metropolitan borough, metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, historic county of Yorkshire, northern England. The castle was founded by William the Conqueror in 1068 and has been described as one of the key castles of medieval England. The oldest grave dates from around 690. The covered market is open all week except Sundays. A new visitor centre and cafe were opened in July 2017; but in April 2018 the council announced that they had terminated the contract with HB&C (North) Ltd, as no work had been done since mid-March, and they had not had any reassurances that the work would restart. The castle has a long and rich history, and there are many interesting things to see and do there. [24] The late, great historians Richard Barrie Dobson and John Taylor indicated that this location provides a very specific clue to Robin Hood's Pontefract heritage, noting that such evidence of continuity makes it virtually certain that the Saylis or Sayles, which was so well known to the Robin Hood of the "Gest" survived into modern times as the 'Sayles Plantation' near Wentbridge. This is believed to form part of an alternative route from Doncaster to York via Castleford and Tadcaster, as a diversion of the major Roman road Ermine Street, which may have been used to avoid having to cross the River Humber near North Ferriby during rough weather conditions over the Humber. The second siege began on 21 March 1645, shortly after the end of the first siege, and the garrison surrendered in July after hearing the news of Charles I's defeat at the Battle of Naseby. The town's two liquorice factories are owned by Haribo and Valeo Confectionery (formerly Tangerine). It would seem as if every room here has some form of activity. [1], The castle has several unusual features. A man in green and a man in black are the primary ghosts people have witnessed. [40][41], Close by is the site of the former coal-fired Ferrybridge power station, although the local coal mines largely closed in the 1990s, which contributed to high unemployment in the local area. His brother, Archbishop late of Canterbury, (Submitted by Chris Once used to make silk, the mills have since been replaced with an office. Of the merchants in the 18thcentury, apothecary chemist George Dunhill (later bought by German confectioner Haribo) was the most important. The youngest apprentice always does. Pontefract RUFC is based at Moor Lane, Carleton. King Eadred did not enjoy Northumbria's support for long, and a year later the kingdom voted Eric Bloodaxe King of York.[9]. www.pontefractrufc.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. But, just as a vine takes at least five years to produce grapes worthy of turning into wine, the liquorice plant needs five to seven years before it can deliver up its bounty. For local government purposes the town lies in the City of Wakefield, coming under the governance of Wakefield Council. The final colliery, Prince of Wales Colliery, closed in August 2002. They liked the reputed medicinal qualities of the plant and took some roots back home. In 1947, actor Harold Norman was accidentally stabbed to death during a performance of Macbeth; he is said to have returned here in the afterlife. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}534144N 11814W / 53.69556N 1.30389W / 53.69556; -1.30389 Sports fans take note the town is also home to Pontefract Racecourse, the longest continuous flat racing circuit in Europe. The embossed stamp was originally a stylised image of Pontefract Castle with a raven on the top bar, which is thought to have been in use for almost 400 years. LXVI, edited by J. W. Walker (Leeds: The Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1924) pp105-106. [21] The earliest surviving manuscript of a Robin Hood ballad, "Robin Hood and the Potter" makes reference to Wentbridge: "'Y mete hem bot at Went breg,' s(e)yde Lytyll John" ('I met him but at Wentbridge', said Little John). ( See ref 4 below.) Its purpose was to increase the defender's range of flanking fire. In 1536, the castle's guardian, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy handed over the castle to the leaders of the Pilgrimage of Grace, a Catholic rebellion from northern England against the rule of King HenryVIII. In the date itself there is no evidence of scribal error. The couple have been reported along the pass seeking help. The priory was dissolved by royal authority in 1539. [35] They were later published by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society. This process is automatic. "[3] It was only in the 19thcentury that it was used extensively for confectionery. an industrial town in N England, in Wakefield unitary authority, West Yorkshire: castle (1069), in which Richard II was imprisoned and murdered (1400). Pontefracts got history galore the site of the first secret ballot, this is a place where the countrys fate was decided more than once; uncover its story at Pontefract Museum. [10] David Crouch, The Normans: The History of a Dynasty (London: Hambledon and London, 2002) p.105. However, by the 16thcentury there is record of the activity, possibly via monastic gardens and as a garden crop for the gentry. The modern town is situated on an old Roman road (now the A639), described as the "Roman Ridge". [48] It stages flat racing between the end of March and the end of October. Since a new landlady took over the pub, it is said that a psychic was brought here and laid his spirit (as well as others) to rest. Sir Thomas Erpingham, Sir John Ramston, The castle was besieged several times during the English Civil War, and was eventually dismantled in 1648. In 1994, the original manufacturer of Pontefract Cakes was taken over by the German company Haribo. by Helen Phillips (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2005) pp.91112 (p.94. [5] Such a crossing point would have been important in the town's early days, providing access between Pontefract and other settlements to the north and east, such as York. [1][2] Pontefract's motto is Post mortem patris pro filio, Latin for "After the death of the father, support the son", a reference to the town's Royalist sympathies in the English Civil War. (Submitted by Chris Berglund). Fatal and ominous to noble peers! The most well-known ghost is that of the White Lady; while her identity is often disputed, it is agreed that she died in a tragic and heartbroken manner. It was eventually taken by Parliamentarian forces after a prolonged siege that lasted for nearly two years. She is said to frequent the pool room which is why some people avoid it. After his death, anyone who sits in this chair meets an untimely and always tragic death; the chair has been hung on the wall to prevent anyone from accidentally sitting in it. In the Middle Ages, that early egalitarian, the real Robin Hood, lived, so we maintain, in the Vale of Wentbridge to the south of Pontefract. Pontefract and Castleford was merged with the Normanton constituency in a boundary change before the 2010 general election. Eric Houlder, Ancient Roots North: When Pontefract Stood on the Great North Road, (Pontefract: Pontefract Groups Together, 2012) p.7. WebThe official website of Pontefract RUFC with news, fixtures, player profiles, match highlights and more! For this purpose it is divided into two electoral wards, Pontefract North and Pontefract South. [13] Piecemeal dismantling after the main organised activity of slighting may have further contributed to the castle's ruined state.[14]. A contemporary French chronicler suggested that Richard II had been hacked to death, but this is, according to the ODNB, "almost certainly fictitious". Bellamy, John, Robin Hood: An Historical Enquiry (London: Croom Helm, 1985). Parts of a 12th-century wall and the Piper Tower's postern gate and the foundations of a chapel are the oldest remains. Pontefract's motto is Post mortem patris pro Nowadays, Pontefract is absolutely ruined, and its incredibly difficult to visualise this vast castle as 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. 2023 Welcome to Yorkshire. Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. If youre looking for a good ghost story, Pontefract Castle is definitely the place to go! In 1311 the castle passed by marriage to the estates of the House of Lancaster. The ancient City of York is famed for being one of (if not the) most haunted cities in Europe . Phantom monks are reported here as well as that of a servant girl who travels between here and Lower Wellhead farm. [3] It was under the tenure of the de Lacys that the magnificent multilobate donjon was built.[2]. The town is called Ponte or Ponty by its citizens and sometimes jokingly referred to as Ponte Carlo, with reference to Monte Carlo. The local police force is West Yorkshire Police, with the town's neighbourhood policing team being situated at the new fire station on Stumpcross Lane. The earliest-known Robin Hood place-name reference in Yorkshire or anywhere else occurs in a deed of 1322 from the two cartularies of Monk Bretton Priory, near the town of Barnsley. Pontefract Museum, from which the hermitage schedule can be obtained, is in the town centre, housed in the former Carnegie library.[44]. It was the site of a series of famous sieges during the 17th-century English Civil War. Villagers fell ill and milk went sour leading everyone to believe that this was the work of witches. These events aroused Bolingbroke to return to England to claim his rights to the Duchy of Lancaster and the properties of his father. The same applies to Pontefract Cakes, for which there is an inexplicable worldwide demand. Bailygate. Web4-stars Hotels in Pontefract 3-stars Hotels in Pontefract Near Landmarks Hotels near Farmer Copleys Hotels near Pontefract Races Hotels near Pontefract Castle Hotels near Kinsley Greyhound Stadium Hotels near Ackworths Garden Centre Hotels near Pontefract Museum Hotels near Frickley Park Hotels near Brockadale Nature Reserve Hotels near HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. The service is operated by Northern, and links Wakefield and Leeds with Goole via Pontefract. After his death, anyone who sits in this chair meets an untimely and always tragic death; the chair has been hung on the wall to prevent anyone from accidentally sitting in it. [7] When the first secret ballot in the United Kingdom was held in Pontefract on 15 August 1872, the ballot box used was sealed using a Pontefract cake stamp from Frank Dunhill's factory, which shows the image of a castle and an owl. Pontefract was not recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book, but it was noted as Pontefracto in 1090, four years after the Domesday survey. He is described as wearing "wearing gaiters and a plumed hat" by the owner's daughter. Numerous pubs can be found in the town centre in particular; for example: Beastfair Vaults, the Liquorice Bush, the Red Lion, the Malt Shovel and the Ponty Tavern. The seat, which has a history of mining and industry, has consistently returned Labour MPs at general elections. Dobson, R. B. and John Taylor, Rymes of Robyn Hode: An Introduction to the English Outlaw, 3rd edition (Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1997) p.22, English Heritage Blue Plaque, Awarded to Wentbridge, Pontefract (photo to follow soon). Care. A little girl is Two ghosts named Elizabeth and William are said to be here. In Elizabeth Gaskells 1866 novel Wives and Daughters, Mr Gibson, the local doctor and one of the main characters, says in discussion with the father of one of his apprentices: Must my boy make the pills himself then? asked the major ruefully. Green indicates that Hugh Fitz Baldric, the late eleventh century Sheriff of Nottingham and Yorkshire, held responsibility for bringing Swein-Son-Of-Sicga to justice. Glycyrrhiza glabra, to give it its formal name, is native to dry scrubland or damp ditches in the Mediterranean region and south-western Asia.. Pontefract Bookmark Pontefract fire as dramatic pictures emerge of huge blaze Pontefract Bookmark Tragic final moments of mum, 31, who took her own life as partner nipped out with daughter for food Pontefract Bookmark Yorkshire's Haribo factory is hiring this summer - and you get a huge discount on sweets Employment Bookmark [39], The town has a liquorice-sweet industry; and the famous Pontefract cakes are produced, though the liquorice plant itself is no longer grown there. Kirkby was an Anglo-Saxon settlement upon which the modern town Pontefract stands. The Siege and Fall of Pontefract Castle is one of the most famous and significant events in English history. Disclaimer: Pontefract Racecourse (pontefractracecourse.racing) is the Unofficial online racecourse information resource. Pontefract (or Pomfret) Castle is a castle ruin in the town of Pontefract, in West Yorkshire, England. (Submitted by Chris Berglund) Nothing is known about her. "Abstracts of the Chartularies of the Priory of Monkbretton", Record Series Vol. The York Guild Hall was built Upstairs, a child will cling onto people; another spirit named Brian is heard in this area and a black fog is sometimes seen. [30] In 2014, the historian Dr S. A. Were like liquorice. The ringing of the bell is still heard to some. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the towns in the City of Wakefield District and had a population of 30,881 at the 2011 Census. Pontefract Castle is a castle located in the town of Pontefract, in the West Yorkshire county of England.

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