Apologies for the pop reference!
Richmond castle is one North Yorkshire’s best attractions because of its rich WW1 history and stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales. Originally built as a way to keep the North of England under Norman rule, the castle would later be a key player in WW1’s handling of Conscientious Objectors (COs).
Built in the 11thCentury by Alan Rufus, Richmond Castle is the best-preserved Norman Castle in England. It has a long history of violence dating back to the Norman conquest. Alan Rufus fought alongside William the Conqueror in the Battle of Hastings. Four centuries later the castle was derelict and in ruins but even in death the castle continued to live on by inspiring famous artists like JMW Turner in the 18thand 19thcenturies.
Finally, in the Victorian era the castle was revived as a place for war. It became the headquarters for North York Militia. And then during WW1 it was the base for the Northern Non-Combatant Corps (NCC). The NCC was all the men who were exempt from military service. However, this later became a problem as portions of the NCC were COs. Refusing orders based on their beliefs resulted in extreme punishment. Now notoriously known as the Richmond Sixteen, 16 COs were originally sentenced to death before their sentence was commuted to ten years’ hard labour.
Conscientious Objectors were misunderstood and harshly criticised during the First World War, but despite fierce opposition they stood fast – one of the Richmond Sixteen was famously recorded saying he would refuse orders ‘to the last ditch!’
Richmond Castle has a beautiful history with sweeping views and a lovely isolated cockpit garden. If visiting it is also worth popping into the local town as it is just as interesting as the castle itself. With winding roads and many slopes and declines, Richmond is a very interesting area.
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Barnard Castle is nearby if you’re a history buff – read the piece here on the castle and the local woodland walk.
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Sources: english-heritage.org.uk
thenortheasttour.travel.blog 