Pontefract Castle Explorer Tour
Pontefract Castle, Castle Chain, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 1QH
Join us for a tour of the castle as our friendly guide takes you around this historic site.
In years gone by, Pontefract Castle was one of Britain’s most important castles and was known as The Key to the North!
Discover who built and lived in the castle and listen to stories of unfaithful Queens, imprisoned Kings as well the castle’s role in the English Civils Wars.
Find out what the castle looked like in its heyday and why the castle now looks as it does!
The tour is suitable for wheelchair users and visitors with pushchairs.
Pontefract Castle, Castle Chain, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 1QH
The tour takes place in Pontefract Castle grounds. It does not involve steps and stays on the level paths around the site There are two parking bays outside the castle gates (WF8 1QH) for blue badge holders. If these are full, please drop off passengers at the castle gates and park in the car park at WF8 2JF, a five minute walk away. For more access information please visit https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/museums-and-castles/pontefract-castle/access-at-pontefract-castle/
Located in the historic market town of Pontefract, from its construction in 1070 to its demise following the Civil Wars, the once-fearsome fortress of Pontefract Castle dominated Yorkshire and beyond, bearing witness to some of England’s most momentous historical events earning itself the name of the Key to the North! Today, the castle is a place of family-friendly adventure, with wide open spaces to explore and play, and fascinating ruins to investigate.