The first thing that pops into most peoples heads when you mention Scarborough is the town's traditional beaches. What many are missing out though is the town's brilliant history. This article takes a look at just one of the historical sites in the town to give you an idea of the historical depths this town has to offer.
ScarboroughCastleis still in existence today, with is ruinous walls located high above the eastern end of the town. The remaining walls are elevated more that 300ft above sea level and from them you can see for many miles around. The western face of the castle is set atop a high, steep, rocky slope and projects a bold silhouette against the sky when viewed from the town below. The plateau the castle sits on is around 19 acres in size.
These remains only give a glimpse at its former glory though. The site the Castle sits on has been many things over the years. Starting out as an Iron Age settlement, then later a Roman signal station, before finally being used as the site of the important medieval castle we see today.
The Castle originally started out as wood fortifications built in 1130AD, which was later upgraded to a stone fortification in 1150AD as the site became more important. This investment increased over the years as the port below grew and became incrementally important. The Royal fortress was so important not only due to the trade but also because the castle protected England from Scottish and continental invasion. Its importance mean that the castle saw several major revisions over the years as buildings were added and walls and defenses improved.
Over the years it saw several battles and sieges, as rebellion, civil war and conflict raged through the country on several occasions. Famously during the civil wars, in the reign of Charles the first the castle was twice besieged, and taken by the parliamentarians. However as the years passed by, peace was made with Scotland, the continent became less of a risk and the civil wars came to an end in the 17th century. This leads to the decline of the castles importance and historically to the ruins we see today.
So if you're staying in any of the fantastic Scarborough accommodations available or on of the nearby Whitby Hotels then why not consider a day out to see this beautiful relic of a time long past.