Sandal Castle

The decayed vestiges of this Medieval castle dominate the east flank of Pugney’s Country Park.

Sandal Castle was founded at the start of the 12th century as a Norman motte and bailey.

The surviving stonework is from the 15th century when the castle had its most eventful years, during the Wars of the Roses.

In 1460 the pretender to the English throne Richard Plantagenet was killed close by at the Battle of Wakefield.

Shakespeare’s play, Henry VI part 3 is set at Sandal Castle during this period.

Richard Plantagenet’ son Richard III chose Sandal Castle as his northern base not long before he was famously killed at Bosworth Field in 1485. After Richard III’s death the castle fell into decline and its stone was quarried.

The ruins are very picturesque and have all-encompassing panoramas of the West Yorkshire countryside.

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