Middleham Castle

Owned by English Heritage. Pay to enter, unless you are a member.
What a lot of interesting history here, packed into quite a small site. Parking is on-street in the village, cobbled areas. (No charge, but honesty box is there
for donation). Public toilets are 2 min walk away (20p to enter).
Castle has lots of nooks to explore, brought to life by the excellent guide book and notice boards. Climb the stairs to the tower for spectacular views. There were also lawn games laid out for general fun and play!
Nice little souvenir shop with plenty of good quality games, maps, sweet treats and gifts. Friendly and informative staff too.

A fairly intact ruin as ruins go but definitely very well worth a visit - staff are incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable - great views across the Yorkshire Dales, childhood home to Richard III

This magnificent structure dominates the village which has encompassed it within its growth and daily life. Due to the close proximity of houses and shops there is no dedicated 🅿 so I would imagine that in summer it may present some challenges if you drive a larger vehicle which I do. This aside the entrance is lovely and the staff were exceptional, it is totally dog friendly, there is no toilet 🚻 so be prepared to use village facilities which are not far away. The castle itself is incredible and loads of books and crannies to explore, one of the biggest keeps, large tower you can go right up, really worth a visit and great for children and adults alike. This is a big structural triumph and great fun

English Heritage site.
Visited on weekday afternoon
Quiet place.
Fun to explore and enjoy.
Be aware of the muddy and slippery grounds if it rains. The drive to the castle is enjoyable too.
Recommended time to spend here 1-2 hrs.
Free for English heritage members, otherwise 7.5 per adult

I loved visiting this castle, it has been on my list of places to visit for long time. Although the castle is a ruin there is still lots to see. There is an outer wall plus a keep in the middle of the grounds. Stairs have been added in the keep so the top is accessible which is great for the stunning views. Information boards are dotted around. There is a statue of Richard III in the grounds, this was a childhood home of his and one of his favourite castles. So much history here. There is a small shop on site but no toilets, they are a short walk and cost 20p to use
There is no car park, however parking is available nearby. The site is English Heritage, free entry for members. Lovely staff always friendly and knowledgeable. The village is very pretty too with some lovely old buildings.

Set in the heart of North Yorkshire, Middleham is always worth a visit. Probably best during the week and not in peak season for peace and quiet. The walkways up and across different floors are an added benefit.

Pretty decent ruin. Plenty of castle left to look round. Very interesting place, and set in lovely surroundings

We really enjoyed exploring these ruins. There is so much history here, including quite a bit related to Richard III. The lady running the gift shop (I wish I had gotten her name!) was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and was able to recommend some books for me as well. Well worth a visit and we will be back!

There is a little museum to give you some background that you should see first. The staff are very knowledgeable and are happy to answer any questions. There are helpful placards placed in many locations around the ruins. You can explore in many places and you can go to the top of the keep which was very fun. There’s a spiral staircase but also a normal staircase for those who aren’t as adventurous. A very fun way to spend an hour.

The castle is a lovely day trip out. With a little shop and friendly staff it was a really plesant day. With a tower to climb and plenty of boards to read about the history of the castle there enough to do. As well as being located at the top of the little village so can walk down and have some lunch or a drink I'm the village. Parking right next to the castle is tight but plenty of parking around the village in a close walking distance. We will be going again.

Huge castle ruins, lots to see and plenty to explore and climb around.
They had toys, colouring and dress up for the little ones, familes playing hide n seek and a few of us wandering round exploring.
If you visit don’t miss the spiral stairs ti the ground floor of the keep and to the top of the walls for a fabulous view

Really liked Middleham Castle. English Heritage can be a bit pricey but I actually felt this one was about right. Great views from the top and well worth the climb!

As a symbol of Norman domination, it would be hard to beat Middleham castle. Looming over the surrounding landscape it must have reminded the subjugated Brits of their defeat by the French every day. Of course the castle is a ruin, but there is still an impressive amount of the building left, with some wonderful features to examine. And for children, the hide-and-seek nature of the castle can provide endless fun, and the grassy moat can provide a chance to play defenders and attackers. A great day out for all.

Beast of a castle…. Home to a young Richard lll…. Lovely setting too….

Lovely extremely historical place. It is a ruin but quite a lot of the structure is still intact and demonstrate the grandeur of the castle. Richard III was born there. It is English heritage. The lady at the entrance was extremely helpful and nice, always a bonus 👍

The Castle is a fabulous historic Ruin set in the beautiful rural village of Middleham. I loved walking round in and out of each room, noks and crany of the castle. Steps lead you to the top of one section of the castle to give great views within and beyond the castle walls. My photos do not do it justice, but the visit will 100% not disappoint at all.

A lovely castle to walk around. The place is steeped in history.
The great tower or keep was probably built in the 1170s. The clue to this date lies in the carved stone capitals in the chapel in the north-east corner of the keep (now inaccessible), which have ‘waterleaf’ decoration – a form of carving known to have been used elsewhere in Yorkshire in the second half of the 12th century.

The most notable owners of the castle were Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick who helped put Edward IV on the throne at Towton in 1461.

The Duke of Gloucester was also part of the Middleham household and following Warwick's death in 1471 the lands were given to Richard.

Richard became Protector of the Realm upon Edward IV’s death in 1483. Later that year he was crowned Richard III, usurping his 12-year-old nephew, Edward V. Richard continued to spend time at Middleham, staying there for several days in 1484 after his son, Edward, died at the castle.

On the defeat of Richard III at Bosworth by Henry Tudor the lands and castle at Middleham became part of the Crown.

The curator was knowledgeable and helpful.
It's a historical site worth visiting.

Great ruins, visually stunning landscape, helpful information, helpful staff, I imagine parking could be tricky in warmer months

Very extensive ruined castle, you get a clear sense of how massive this building was. With the remains, you also can see how extensive and complex were the kitchen and service areas, though the upper banqueting and residential levels are no longer there. From the upper viewpoints you can see even earlier remains and excellent views of the surrounding areas for many miles.