The View From Above: Knaresborough

 

If you’ve spent any bit of time on British Travelgram, no doubt you’ve seen an image of Knaresborough, a quaint market town in North Yorkshire . The Victorian viaduct gracefully spanning the River Nidd has become an iconic landmark in northern England, surrounded by a landscape that seems too pretty to be real. Knareborough’s history stretches back to Anglo-Saxon times, when it was first established as a settlement in the 6th century.

With the Norman Conquest in 1066, Knaresborough became part of the vast lands controlled by the powerful Hugh de Morville. He built Knaresborough Castle on a cliff high above the village, the ruins of which still grace the town's skyline. The castle has been witness to history, as it was here to which Morville fled, along with his fellow knights, following their murder of Thomas Beckett in Canterbury. Knaresborough Castle became a royal residence when it was seized by the Crown following another one of Morville’s misjudgments—joining an unsuccessful rebellion against the king. It was subsequently passed down through generations of English monarchs, becoming a particular favorite of King John, Edward I, and Edward II. (Richard II was likely less of a fan, as he was imprisoned here overnight following his deposition by his cousin, Henry IV.) The castle slowly fell into disrepair, but was partially demolished by heavy cannon fire during the English Civil War. It was captured by Parliamentarian forces after a long siege, and they subsequently had it slighted to prevent future military use. Today, there’s no cannon fire to be heard—just the peaceful flowing of the river, the chirping of birds, and the milling of locals on the cobblestone streets.