Cawood Castle

Cawood Castle is a medieval fortress located in North Yorkshire, with a fifteenth-century gatehouse and banqueting hall representing the main surviving structures of the original fortified palace. These buildings stand on the site where a substantial complex once conveyed the residence and authority of religious leaders.

The site became an archiepiscopal residence around 1181 and was redesigned into a quadrangular layout between 1374 and 1388. This transformation created a more formal and defensible structure suited to the needs of high-ranking church officials.

The castle served as a residence for archbishops who wielded considerable authority from this location. Today visitors can observe how the remaining structures reflect the status and importance this place held for the church.

The gatehouse is maintained as a holiday rental by the Landmark Trust, allowing visitors to experience the property by staying overnight or through arranged visits. Access is through the village, so it helps to arrive with a clear sense of directions since the location is not always immediately obvious from the main road.

Cardinal Wolsey spent his final days at the castle in 1530 before his arrest, leaving behind evidence of improvements he made to the structure. His brief presence transformed this into a significant waypoint in English Reformation history.