Pontefract’s town and History
Pontefract’s heyday was in the Middle Ages, though there had been prehistoric and Roman settlements in the area.
Soon after the Conquest in 1066, a castle was built by the occupying Norman armies on a spur of rock to the east of the present town centre. The original wooden fortification was a motte and bailey castle on a man-made hill on the top of the ridge. It would have looked similar to Clifford’s Tower in York. The Castle held sway over extensive lands, including Leeds, Bradford and over towards Huddersfield. William the Conqueror moved Ilbert Delacy into the castle to administer his land.
Pontefract Castle in the early 17th Century
In 1191 Pontefract Castle passed into royal ownership, Richard I, and this stimulated the growth of the existing settlements of Kirby and Tanself on either side of the Castle. The Castle was used to hold political prisoners, becoming notorious as “Bloody Pomfret” in Shakespeare’s play, Richard II. Charles, Duke of Orleans, Thomas of Lancaster and Richard the II were all held (and the last two died) at Pontefract.
It is difficult to imagine from the present size of the town and its remaining buildings, the important part Pontefract played in the political and religious life of Britain in the Middle Ages. As well as the King’s Court, Pontefract attracted many religious houses, including a monastery the size and appearance of Selby Abbey. A Hermitage was dug 51 feet into the rock and can still be seen today. The hermit, Peter of Pomfret, lives on in Shakespeare’s play, King John. To the North of the Castle, the site of the Thomas of Lancaster execution became a place of pilgrimage.
It is likely that liquorice was first brought back to Pontefract from the Middle East during the Crusades. At first it was grown as a medicinal plant; the first sweets date from the seventeenth century.
Henry VIII’s dispute with Rome resulted in the dissolution of the monasteries and Pontefract’s priory and other monastic houses were demolished.
Pontefract Castle was a focal point for the Pilgrimage of the Grace, the revolt of the northern counties against Henry VIII’s religious changes and economic impositions. Catherine Howard was unfaithful to Henry VIII in Pontefract Castle.
By the seventeenth century, Pontefract Castle had grown into an imposing structure depicted by Kierinx in the Painting, which now hangs in Pontefract Museum. When the Civil War broke out, Pontefract Castle remained a royalist stronghold and was reputed to have been the last to fall to Cromwell’s armies.
During the sieges of Pontefract Castle rough coins were struck to pay the troops. Following the execution of Charles I, the royalist motto became “After the death of the father, we are for the son” and this can be seen on the Pontefract Siege Coins. It remains the motto of the town today. By this time the town’s people were so fed up of being attacked because of the Castle they petitioned Parliament for permission to raise it to the ground, which resulted in much of it being demolished. The ancient church of All Saints was ruined by the Civil War but it is still an interesting building, with a rare double helix staircase in the tower, with a working church built within the ruins.
In the Middle Ages Pontefract was the main centre of West Yorkshire. By the eighteenth century its regional economic significance had declined but it was still a prosperous town.
By 1872 Pontefract was in the national limelight again, when for the first time in Britain the secret ballot system was used at the Pontefract by-election held in the existing Town Hall.
In the later nineteenth century the town expanded with the growth of liquorice sweet making, the coming of the coal and the stationing of two regiments in permanent barracks. Between 1871 and 1931 the population of Pontefract tripled as a result of these developments, together with growth in sand quarrying, cast iron making, malting and skin-yards.
Since 1945 all these industries have declined. New industries such as plastics and chemicals are now important to the Pontefract area. 2003 saw the closure of Pontefract’s coalmine, with the loss of 500 jobs. But as Pontefract’s long history shows, with new and exciting plans being drawn up for this large site and the town, as before, Pontefract will rise again.
Racing in Pontefract was first recorded in the 1700’s and regular races were organised by the turn of the century. The grandstand was erected in 1802. In 1983 Pontefract Racecourse became the longest course in Europe.
Today construction of the M62 & the A1 has put Pontefract at the junction of two major routes. With a population of about 35,00o, many new houses have been constructed, to fill the needs of a growing local population and the influx of people working in Leeds.
Pontefract is a vibrant market town, its historic pedestrianised town centre being a conservation area of significant importance. With access from the surrounding town and car parks being through the towns numerous Ginnels, this gem is almost hidden from the rest of the world.