Richmond Castle, Richmond, North Yorkshire
A cutaway reconstruction drawing of the castle keep by Terry Ball showing the first and second floors and the roof. Richmond castle was probably built in the 1070s by Alan Rufus to defend his estates against Anglo-Saxon nobles who had lost their land and power. It was originally triangular in shape with a massive stone wall on two sides. The third side was protected by the drop to the River Swale and possibly a timber palisade. Dominating the castle is the square keep. It was 30.6 metres high and built in the second half of the 12th century. The entrance was on the first floor to make it easier to defend. The ground floor was used for storage. This site is now in the care of English Heritage (2012).
