Middleham Castle, now in the county of
North Yorkshire, was build during the
12th century and later came into the hands of the Neville family, the most famous member of which was
Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick - the "Kingmaker". Under his ownership, improvements to the castle caused it to become known as "the
Windsor of the North". Following the death of
Richard, Duke of York, his younger sons,
George, Duke of Clarence and
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, came into Warwick's care, and both resided temporarily at Middleham with Warwick's own family. It was also at Middleham that King
Edward IV of England was imprisoned for a short time, having been deposed by Warwick in
1470. Following Warwick's death and Edward's restoration to the throne, Richard married
Anne Neville, Warwick's younger daughter, and it was at Middleham that they made their main home, carrying out further improvements and extensions to the castle (although it has recently been suggested that Richard actually spent little time here). It was also at Middleham that their son, Edward, was born and died.
The castle was destroyed in 1646, during the English Civil War, and the ruins are now in the care of English Heritage.
External Link:
- http://archives.r3.org/ricardian_britain/middleham/
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