Location York

York Castle was constructed originally by William the Conqueror, who built between the two rivers a mound, and set on it a wooden watch-tower, surrounded with a bailey-court. In order to keep the castle and other ditches full of water, the Normans placed a dam across the River Foss, which was thus considerably widened, and formed into an efficient defence where it adjoined the city.

In the rising against the Jews at the coronation of Richard I, Benedict of York was fatally injured. 

'The anti-Semitic feeling spread to York, the house of Benedict was plundered and his widow and family murdered. This atrocious act naturally alarmed the Jews in York, who gathered their treasures and rushed to the castle for safety. The governor had to leave them for a while, and when he wished to re-enter, the panic-stricken Jews refused him admission. An assault on the fortress was ordered. The Jews, finding themselves unable to hold the citadel, set fire to the wooden erections, and killed themselves (there are differing opinions on this, some say the attackers set fire to the tower, not the Jews themselves). 

The tower was rebuilt, and in the middle of the thirteenth century the mound was enlarged and the wooden watch-tower gave place to the stone keep. The castle area was walled in during the Edwardian period, the principal entrance with its flanking towers -now removed-faced Castle Mills Bridge. The keep has a quatrefoil plan. Corbelled-out turrets fill three angles, whilst the fourth is occupied by a rectangular gateway with the chapel above. 

The royal arms and those of Clifford were placed above the entrance during the seventeenth century; and the keep became known as Clifford's Tower. The keep owes the ruined condition of its interior to a fire that broke out while it was used as a powder magazine.