castle castle norman bailey castle near village east riding yorkshire england built designed secure newly conquered region defend potential danish invasion control trade route region leading north_sea bailey separated artificial lake linked sea medieval period channel village grew castle church fortified town built alongside castle potential trade castle owner count rebelled fortification captured royalist forces king ordered destroyed remains castle little value end 14th century failed attract inhabitants castle passed control state early 20th century archaeological investigations carried 21st century castle managed english_heritage open visitors history 11th 12th centuries castle built flemish mercenary lord following norman conquest england north region frontier norman power intended protect central yorkshire potential danish raids north_sea formed administrative centre huge estates stretched serving principal residence scandinavian roots meant lake ships medieval period site inland harbour connected channel north_sea 21st century kilometres away surrounding region referred island period surrounding estuary flood plains site castle strategically important lay main trading route marshes accessible sea castle military economic functions designed control newly conquered norman lands manage trade inland harbour castle took form bailey design dam probably constructed turn surrounding low lying land artificial lake called mere turn connected channel leading sea complex private harbour probably boat yard fresh water fishery end 11th century church built east castle mere village soon grew alongside church settled knights lands near castle arrangement known castle guard system knights helped guard castle return estates probably built smaller fortification nearby suspicious death wife fled england castle reassigned count passed returned held trade initially flourished result william founded fortified town south castle probably town intended bring valuable revenue helped defend castle vulnerable overlooked castle guard system surrounding estates paying cash instead 13th 14th centuries castle declined importance poorly situated threat danish raids passed nearby manor new administrative centre instead january count marriage rebelled dispute involved ownership estate miles away castle henry seized previous year william disagreement henry policies years william promptly henry moved quickly suppress revolt barons north ordered william castles including william shortly surrendered king ultimately pardoned following rebellion henry ordered castle destroyed uncertain extent order actually carried william passed castle son william death son widow isabella passed crown mere drained second half 14th century castle considered worthless acres land animals counts manor house nearby visited area probably poor location town proved unsuccessful commercial site town paying rent late 14th century town largely abandoned people registered poll tax settlements combined 15th 21st centuries drainage mere occurred land reclaimed farming ground remained occasionally flooded start 20th century castle placed later passing control government heritage agency english_heritage archaeological surveys site carried castle protected scheduled monument law remaining earthworks generally preserved english heritage expressed concerns condition impact drainage consequent drying land castle earthworks handful buildings survive castle planned town architecture landscape castle bailey design parts fortification divided mere surrounded south east corner mere cut south east recorded caught lake 13th century south eastern corner formed fresh water fishery curved channel approximately metres size ultimately leading north_sea flowed south west giving boats access inside bailey concluded possible boat yard eastern end channel additional inland harbour west bailey archaeologists divided issue constructed sand gravel deliberately built natural glacial mound making appear unusually large metres diameter metres high acres space protected base metres high bank ditch metres wide built taller deeper today timber possibly stone gatehouse south east corner leading causeway crossed mere south link bailey eastern causeway linked church village bailey approximately metres covering area acres curving west south castle earthworks built clay metres high protected metre wide ditch originally metres deep main entrance bailey positioned southern known bail gate guarded gatehouse subsidiary entrance north linked path break earthworks called cut 13th century destruction castle bank damaged ways installation drainage works
Skipsea Castle