Ruins in West Yorkshire - Kirkstall Abbey, Sandal Castle, Pontefract Castle, Harewood Castle (Paperback)

Chapters: Kirkstall Abbey, Sandal Castle, Pontefract Castle, Harewood Castle. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 27. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Sandal Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Sandal, a suburb of the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, overlooking the River Calder. It was the site of royal intrigue, the opening of one of William Shakespeare's plays, and was the source for a common children's nursery rhyme. William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey (10811138) was granted the Sandal estates in 1107. The 2nd earl built the first Sandal Castle of timber. He supported Robert Curthose against Henry I and was banished from the kingdom for two years. Later he was given the Wakefield manor. William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey (11191148) spent little of his time at Sandal, having taken crusading vows and joined the Second Crusade. He had one daughter, Isabel de Warenne (11371199), who married William of Blois, son of King Stephen, who became the 4th earl. He died in 1159 having no children. Isabel his widow next married Hamelin Plantagenet (11291202), the 5th earl. He was the son of Geoffrey of Anjou and assumed the Warrene name on his marriage in 1164. Hamelin is thought to have built the early Norman stone fortifications at Conisbrough Castle and also begun to replace the wooden fortifications at Sandal with stone. William Plantagenet Warrene 6th earl (11661240) married Maud Marshal in 1225. He was loyal to his cousin, King John and is one of the four nobles whose name appears in the Magna Carta for John. In 1216 he changed allegiance and supported Henry III. His widow, Maud, held the Wakefield Manor from 1240 after his death to 1252 when their son John 7th Earl de Warrene (12311306) came of age. John married Alice de Lusignan in 1247. In 1296 the 7th Earl was appointed ...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=133854