Today, York Castle is managed as a heritage site and tourist attraction. Clifford’s Tower is cared for by English Heritage, who have conserved the ruins and made the site accessible to visitors. Interpretation panels and guided tours inform visitors about the castle’s history, from its Norman origins to its medieval and modern roles. The

The 17th century brought further military challenges and changes. During the English Civil War (1642–1651), York was a royalist stronghold. The castle’s defenses were reinforced, but the city eventually surrendered to parliamentary forces in 1644 after a prolonged siege. The castle’s military role was largely diminished following the war.

By the late medieval period, York Castle had become more than just a military fortress. It evolved into a vital hub of governance and law enforcement in northern England. The castle housed the sheriff’s court, the prison, and the administrative offices that managed the king’s interests in Yorkshire. It became the site of public executions an

The late 1060s were a period of violent unrest in northern England. Following his conquest, William faced a series of rebellions in Yorkshire and surrounding counties. The most infamous of his responses was the Harrying of the North in 1069-1070, a brutal campaign of scorched earth tactics that devastated the region’s population and economy. Y