Conisbrough Castle Yorkshire & Humberside

Conisbrough Castle sits on a steep hill guarding the main road between Sheffield and Doncaster with the River Don to the north.  Having belonged to Harold Godwinson, King Harold of England it came into the hands of William the Conqueror after his death.  Willam then granted the lands to William de Warenne his cousin who had fought for him at Hastings.  At this time the castle was a wooden motte and bailey.

The castle we see today began in the 12th century when it was given by King Henry II to his illegitimate half-brother Hamelin Plantagenet.  Hamelin married Isabel, Countess of Surrey after the death of her husband William of Blois who was the youngest son of King Stephen.  Isabel would have been a very wealthy heiress and Hamelin became Earl of Surrey through his wife.  Conisbrough became the favoured family residence after Hamelin embarked on a 10 year building campaign to create a stone keep on the site.

The keep is in a hexagonal shape, the ground floor was used for storage with living quarters above. The first floor contains the great chamber with fireplace.  We know the castle was visited by Henry II, King John and Edward II and they are likely to have warmed themselves by the fire pictured.

The second floor of the keep would have been sleeping quarters for the lord and lady.  Containing the solar, bedchamber, fireplaces and garderobe with a stone basin, this was fed with running water collected on the roof.  The second floor also contains a private chapel for the family.