Scarborough Castle

A 12th-century fortress on a dramatic headland between the two bays

Scarborough Castle sits on the great headland that divides the town into its two bays, a position so commanding that the site has been fortified since the Iron Age. The current castle was built by Henry II in the 12th century, and its massive keep — still largely intact — dominates the headland from a distance.

The castle is managed by English Heritage and the admission is worth it for the headland alone, which offers panoramic views over both bays, the town's Victorian hotels along the Esplanade, and on clear days the Cleveland Hills inland and Flamborough Head to the south. The keep interior can be explored, and there are good interpretation panels covering the castle's eventful history. The exposed position means strong winds even in summer — a layer is advisable.

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Scarborough Castle has the distinction of having been besieged more times than almost any other castle in England — including during the Wars of the Roses, the Elizabethan period (when the Earl of Northumberland seized it), the English Civil War (a nine-month Parliamentary siege), and as recently as 1914, when two German battlecruisers shelled the town and damaged the keep. The visible scars on the medieval stonework include both medieval and 20th-century damage.

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