Perched high on a cliff, overlooking the beautiful valley of the River Nidd, stand the stark ruins of the once important castle of Knaresborough. Its early origins are uncertain, but the first recorded reference to a castle at Knaresborough can be found in the pipe rolls of 1129-30. It is known also that Hugh de Moreville and his accomplices took refuge in Knaresborough Castle in 1170, after they had murdered Thomas a Beckett in Canterbury Cathedral.

Apparently the castle was a firm favourite with King John, and he is known to have used it on many occasions whilst hunting in the Forest of Knaresborough. During his reign, large sums of money were spent on the expansion of Knaresborough Castle, and King John was responsible for the excavation of the dry moat, which is the earliest surviving visible feature of the ruins today.

When Edward I had succeeded in his subjugation of the Welsh, his focus then centred on Scotland. Knaresborough Castle became strategically important in this quest, and the king commissioned further modernisation of the Norman castle. Surviving features from this period include the substantial twin towers of the east gate, as well as some fragments of curtain wall.

His successor, Edward II, suffered a turbulent reign in English history and Knaresborough Castle found itself at the heart of it. Firstly, the Honour and Castle of Knaresborough was granted to Edward's friend (and lover), Piers Gaveston, who was hugely unpopular with the powerful barons of the time. Gaveston met his end in 1312, but civil unrest continued and Knaresborough Castle was seized by supporters of the Earl of Lancaster in 1317. The following year, having been retaken by the castle constable, Knaresborough Castle became the last place of refuge for the townsfolk as a Scottish incursion devastated much of the area.

After the fall, and subsequent murder of Edward II, the Honour and Castle of Knaresborough passed to Queen Philippa as part of her marriage settlement to Edward III. She was particularly fond of Knaresborough, and much of the summer court season would have been spent here.

In 1372 Knaresborough Castle came into the possession of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, thus becaming part of the Duchy of Lancaster - and this has remained so the present day. In 1399 Richard II confiscated the Lancastrian estates, banishing Henry of Bolingboke (John's heir) to France. Henry later returned, duly deposed King Richard who was held captive in Knaresborough Castle for a night, before being executed at Pontefract. After the accession of Henry IV the importance of Knaresborough Castle diminished and it continued purely in an administrative and judicial role.

Knaresborough Castle supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War but it was besieged, and eventually fell, after the battle of Marston Moor in 1644. In 1646 Parliament ordered that the castle be slighted (blown up) and by 1648 demolition had commenced. The Courthouse was retained, as was the King's Tower once the townsfolk had petitioned parliament for its use as a prison.

Today the castle remains form a pleasant area in which to sit, relax and enjoy the stunning views from its high vantage point. The old courthouse is now a museum, and provides visitors with a history of both the town and its castle.