Middleham Castle

Middleham Castle is in Middleham [Map].

1454 Battle of Stamford Bridge

1484 Death of King Richard III's Heir

Middleham Castle [Map]. A Norman keep surrounded by a curtain wall around half a mile from the River Ure.

In 1451 Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby (age 16) and Eleanor Neville Baroness Stanley (age 4) were married in the Chapel at Middleham Castle [Map]. She the daughter of Richard Neville 5th Earl Salisbury (age 51) and Alice Montagu 5th Countess of Salisbury (age 44). They were third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

1454 Battle of Stamford Bridge

On 31 Oct 1454 or 01 Nov 1454 John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 23) and Thomas Neville (age 24) captured Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont (age 31) and Richard Percy (age 28) in a skirmish known as the Battle of Stamford Bridge. [Note. The second battle at Stamford Bridge [Map] with the first being in 1066]. The brothers were taken to Middleham Castle [Map]. Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont (age 31) was subsequently fined £11,200 in damages which, with an income of £100, he was unlikely to ever pay. He was, therefore, taken to Newgate Prison, London [Map] in which he stayed until he escaped in 1456.

Around 1460 Anne Neville Queen Consort England (age 3) spent her childhood at Middleham Castle [Map].

Calendars. 07 May 1461. Middleham Castle [Map]. Appointment for life of the said earl (age 32), as great chamberlain of England, with the accustomed fees. By other latters patent.

Calendars. 07 May 1461. Middleham Castle [Map]. Grant to the king's (age 19) kinsman Richard, Earl of Warwick (age 32), of the custody of all lordships, manors and lands with knight's fees and advowsons held by the king's uncle George Neville (age 54), knight, lord Latymer, within the county of York or elsewhere, during the idiotcy of the latter, even though no inquisition has been taken. By other letters patent.

Calendars. 07 May 1461. Middleham Castle [Map]. Grant for life to the king's kinsman Richard (age 32), Earl of Warwick, of the office of constable of the king's castle of Dover, and al rents and services called 'castelwarde', and herbage and advowsons pertaining to the same, and the wardenship of the Cinque Ports and all forfeitures, 'shares', wreck of sea and other profits; and also 300l yearly for the sustenances of himself and priests, servants, watchmen, and other officers there, in the same manner as Humphey, late Duke of Gloucester, viz 146l frin the wards pertaining to the castle and 154l from the fee farm of the town of Southampton. By other latters patent.

Calendars. 07 May 1461. Middleham Castle [Map]. The like (Grant for life) to the said earl (age 32), the office of Master of the King's Mews and Falcons and a messuage called 'le Mewehous' at Charryng by Westminster, co Middlesex, with all houses and other profits pertaining to the same, in the same manner as John, duke of Bedford, deceased; and appointment of him to take the king's right prises of falcons, goshawks, sakers, sakrets, lanners, lannerets and ger-falcons sold within the realm, paying the accustomed price viz 20s for each tercel of goshawk, saker, lanner or lanneret. By other latters patent.

Calendars. 07 May 1461. Middleham Castle [Map]. The like (Grant for life) to the said earl (age 32) of the offices of steward of the manor or lordship of Fekenham, co Worcester, and master forester and rider of the kings forst of Fekenham with the custody of the king's park of Fekenham and the stank there, with the accustomed fees. By other latters patent.

On 28 Feb 1463 John Lovell 8th Baron Lovel 5th Baron Holand (age 30) died. On 28 Feb 1463 His son Francis Lovell 1st Viscount Lovell (age 7) succeeded 9th Baron Lovel of Titchmarsh, 6th Baron Holand at around eight years of age. He became a ward of King Edward IV of England (age 20) who gave his wardship to Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury (age 34) spending his childhood at Middleham Castle [Map] with the young (future) King Richard III of England (age 10).

Around 15 Aug 1469 King Edward IV of England (age 27) was imprisoned at Middleham Castle [Map].

Around Oct 1469 Thomas Burgh 1st Baron Burgh (age 38) rescued King Edward IV of England (age 27) from Middleham Castle [Map].

On 22 Sep 1471 Lancastrian Thomas "Bastard of Fauconberg" Neville (age 42) was beheaded at Middleham Castle [Map]. See Paston Letters Volume 5 782.

In Dec 1473 Edward York Prince of Wales was born to King Richard III of England (age 21) and Anne Neville Queen Consort England (age 17) at Middleham Castle [Map]. Coefficient of inbreeding 5.36%.

Death of King Richard III's Heir

On 09 Apr 1484 Edward York Prince of Wales (age 10) died at Middleham Castle [Map] leaving his father King Richard III of England (age 31) without an heir. Duke Cornwall, Earl Salisbury, Earl Chester extinct.

The River Ure rises at Ure Head [Map] after which it over Aysgarth Falls [Map], past Middleham Castle [Map], Jervaulx Abbey [Map], St Nicholas Church, West Tanfield [Map], east of Ripon [Map], under the bridge at Boroughbridge [Map] after which it is joined by the River Swale to form the River Ouse.