The great tower is one of the largest ever built in England and formed the domestic centre of the castle. It contained the Great Hall, cellars, and kitchens. Against the outer walls were built the chambers and lodgings. But  perhaps the finest feature of the keep is the view from the top, across the lovely country of Coverdale and Wensleydale; little changed since Richard III's day. One of the best times to visit Middleham Castle is late May or June, when  you can see the fairy foxglove in bloom

A taste of the scenery in the area around East Witton. Below is a view looking north  from the top of Middleham Castle. To the left  is the Castle of Middleham which dominates the village..

For several hundred years after the Norman conquest, the castle was one of  the great power bases of the north of England. The ruins that you see today are rich in history, for this was the boyhood home of Richard, Duke of Gloucester,  later Richard III. And the place where Warwick the Kingmaker held court.