HELMSLEY CASTLE HEMSLEY NORTH YORKSHIRE ENGLAND. From the allotments

            1. Helmsley is situated on the River Rye on the A170 road, 14 miles (23 km) east of Thirsk, 13 miles (21 km) west of Pickering and some 24 miles (39 km) due north of York. The southern boundary of the North York Moors National Park passes through Helmsley along the A170 road so that the western part of the town is within the National Park.

The settlement grew around its position at a road junction and river crossing point. Helmsley is a compact town, retaining its medieval layout around its market place with more recent development to the north and south of its main thoroughfare, Bondgate. It is a historic town of considerable architectural character whose centre has been designated as a conservation area.[2] The town is associated with the Earls of Feversham, whose ancestral home Duncombe Park was built overlooking Helmsley Castle.[3] A statue of William Duncombe, 2nd Baron Feversham stands in the town's square. The town is a popular tourist centre and has won gold medals in the Large Village category of Yorkshire in Bloom for three years. The town square is a meeting place for motorcyclists as it is at the end of the B1257 road from Stokesley, which is a favourite with bikers.

The Cleveland Way National Trail starts at Helmsley, and follows a horseshoe loop around the North York Moors National Park and Yorkshire coast for 110 miles (180 km) to Filey. The remains of Helmsley Castle, which was destroyed in the Civil War, loom over the town.

2. History of  the Castle

Although the estate of Helmsley was granted to Robert, Count of Mortain following the Norman conquest; there is no evidence that he built a castle in the area. The castle, constructed in wood around 1120, was built by Walter l'Espec.[1] It is positioned on a rocky outcrop overlooking the River Rye. Featuring double ditches surrounding a rectangular inner bailey, the castle bears little resemblance to the motte and bailey castles built at the time (such as the nearby Pickering Castle).[2] The castle at Helmsley was only 1.9 miles (3 km) from Rievaulx Abbey and Walter l'Espec granted the land for the abbey. Aelred, who was the abbey's first novice master, was known to be involved in l'Espec's affairs (military and personally) and Helmsley was often used as a place of safety during periods of instability.[3]

Walter was childless, and on his death in 1154 the castle passed to his sister Adelina who had married Peter de Roos.[4] In 1186 Robert de Ros, son of Everard de Ros,[5] began work on converting the castle to stone.[6] He built two main towers, the round corner towers and the main gateway on the south side of the castle.[7] He died in 1227, granting the castle to his older son William who lived there from 1227 to 1258.[8] The only change made to the castle during this time was the construction of the chapel in the courtyard.[9]

William's son, Robert, inherited the castle and was Lord of Helmsley from 1258 to 1285. His marriage to Isabel d'Aubigny (heiress to Belvoir Castle) funded the building of the new hall and kitchen, as well as strengthening the castle.[10] This may include the building of the impressive south barbican which was constructed between 1227 and 1285. He built a wall dividing the castle into north and south sides, with the southern half for the private use of the lord's family in the new hall and east tower, and the northern half containing the old hall to be used by the steward and other castle officials. The strengthening of the castle continued into Robert's son William's life.William de Ros II died in 1316. The East Tower may have been heightened specifically for the visit of King Edward III, who stayed at the castle for around five days in 1334.

Helmsley Castle remained in the possession of the de Roos family until 1478 when Edmund de Roos sold it to Richard, Duke of Gloucester who later became Richard II. Richard did nothing to the castle, staying instead at Middleham Castle.[14] After Richard III's death at the Battle of Bosworth, Helmsley Castle was restored to Edmund de Roos by Henry VII.

TAKEN FROM and courtesy to Wikepedia.

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Taken on: August 8, 2023

Sets appears in: • 23.08.08. HELMSLEY. NORTH YORKSHIRE UK

Groups appears in: • Yorkshire • North York Moors more » • Architecture in Europe • Your Cell Phone Picture • Android Photographer • Android Shooters • Buildings of the Past « less

Camera: samsung SM-A528B, f/1.8, 1/696 sec, 5.2mm, ISO 25 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	samsung SM-A528B
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ISO:	25
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Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
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