Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle is located in Lancaster, England. The medieval castle is believed to have been built in the 11thcentury upon an old Roman fort from 79 AD and overlooks a crossing of the River Lune. The castle became part of the Earldom of Northumbria in the second half of the 11thcentury and was claimed by the kings of England and Scotland. The castle was used as a prison in the late 12thcentury and was rebuilt in costly stone in the 13thcentury. The Duke of Lancaster ascended to the throne as King Henry IV in 1399, and he immediately had a formidable gatehouse built on the property. After this point in history, the castle remained under ownership of the Crown. The castle underwent a Scottish invasion in 1389 and was strengthened in 1585. During England’s Civil War, a small group of Parliamentarian forces captured the castle in 1643. The Royalists sent an army to retake Lancaster Castle and failed, which allowed the Parliamentarian forces to retain control of the castle until the end of the civil war. In 1660, with the monarchy restored, the prisoners in the castle were released and repairs were made. The castle has been used as a prison from 1554-2011. The Lancaster court sentenced more people to death than any other in England, and was known to hold high-security trials. The last execution took place in 1910, but the prison was closed in 1916. The castle was used to train police officers from 1931-1937, but was designated and used as a prison again from 1954-2011. The prison finally closed, as it was outdated and too expensive to repair. The property boasts the 11thcentury keep, towers, battlements, dungeons, a castle courtyard, a 66-foot gatehouse, a café, and the Shire Hall courthouse. The keep is four stories tall, with each floor divided into two rooms. Refurbishment on the castle has been ongoing since 2011. Lancaster castle is one of the oldest standing buildings in Lancaster. It is open to the public.
