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Baile Hill
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Baile Hill, Skeldergate, York, YO1 6DS -
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8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Baile Hill is one of two motte-and-bailey castles constructed in York during the 11th century in the wake of the Norman conquest of England.
Attraction Duration
Approx. 1hr+
Age Range
Suitable for all ages
About Baile Hill
Easy to miss, not much remains of Baile Hill, a motte-and-bailey castle built in 1069 on the orders of William the Conqueror.
The King was keen to strengthen his grip on northern England, in the face of opposition to his rule from the native Anglo-Saxons after taking control of York.
Baile Hill was constructed on the city’s southern edge, directly opposite to the first castle on the other side of the Ouse, designed to improve William I’s hold over the city.
Like York Castle (Clifford’s Tower), Baile Hill was destroyed in late 1069 during an Anglo-Scandinavian raid and rebuilt almost immediately.
In use into the 12th century, the wooden castle was eventually incorporated into the city walls during the 1320s and was later used by Royalist forces as a gun emplacement in the English Civil War.
Family Friendly 
History & Heritage 
