The impressive ruins of 12th-century Helmsley Castle are defended by a striking series of deep ditches and banks, to which later rulers added the thick stone walls and defensive towers. Only one tooth-shaped tower survives, following the dismantling of the fortress after the Civil War. The castle's tumultuous history is well explained in the 14-century West Range at the back of the site.
Helmsley Castle
North York Moors National Park
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Nearby North York Moors National Park attractions
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