Knaresborough Castle

Knaresborough Castle. East Gate. , There has been a castle here since at least the 12th century, but today the earliest surviving structure on site is the undercroft of the Courthouse building., Throughout its history the castle has been in Royal control or held directly by the crown. Today it belongs to the Duchy of Lancaster and is managed by Harrogate Borough Council., You are standing in what would have been a dry ditch, outside the outer wall. To your left are the remains of the two towers of the east gate. You can still see the slots in the side of the towers for a heavy wooden portcullis gate, which helped fortify the entrance., Beyond this gateway you enter the outer ward. This area would have been full of life with activities such as milling, brewing, baking and smelting. During the English Civil War, Parliament ordered that the Castle be demolished and this had started by 1648. However, the townspeople asked for the King's Tower to be kept for use as a prison and complete demolition was stopped. The Courthouse building remained as an administrative centre., You can walk in the grounds all year round, but the King's Tower, Courthouse Museum and the Sallyport or underground tunnel are only open during the spring/summer season.