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Photo: CJW, Attribution via Wikimedia Commons
This was built in stone from 1190, replacing a wooden castle, and guarded the Ripon-Richmond road. For some years in the 1460s it was the childhood home of the future Richard III (1452-85) - his parents were Yorkists who'd fled abroad as they were losing the War of the Roses. Richard spent little time here during his two year reign; his death at the Battle of Bosworth marked the end of the wars and of the Plantagenet dynasty. His victor Henry VII seized the castle but he and his successors had little use for it and it fell into ruin. The castle masonry was recycled into other buildings but it remains a substantial ruin, now managed by English Heritage.
Middleham Castle is a ruined castle in Middleham in Wensleydale, in the county of North Yorkshire, England. It was built by Robert Fitzrandolph, 3rd Lord of Middleham and Spennithorne, commencing in 1190. The castle was the childhood home of King Richard III, although he spent very little of his reign there. The castle was built to defend the road from Richmond to Skipton, though some have suggested the original site of the castle was far better to achieve this than the later location. After the death of King Richard III the castle remained in royal hands until it was allowed to go to ruin in the 17th century. Many of the stones from the castle were used in other buildings in the village of Middleham.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
This runs from Leeming Bar near Northallerton to Bedales, Leyburn and Redmire. It's often steam-hauled (check timetable for steam days) and you can even arrange to work alongside the driver.
Built by the Normans in the 11th century, the castle was never assaulted and fell out of use in the 14th century. From the 1850s it was repaired as a barracks and militia base. From 1908 to 1910 it was the residence of Robert Baden-Powell as commander of the Northern Territorial Army; he later founded the Boy Scout movement. In the First World War, it held conscientious objectors who were set to local work, and imprisoned those who refused this. The "Richmond 16" were even sent to France, court-martialled and sentenced to be shot, but this was commuted. The castle is now maintained by English Heritage.
The Abbey of St Agatha was founded in 1152, part of the Premonstratensian order. It was abandoned at the 1530 dissolution of the monasteries and fell into ruin. It's now maintained by English Heritage. You can reach it by a one-mile walk along the riverbank from Richmond, or by road.
Small but jam-packed museum of local history.