History of Wetherby - Wetherby Castle

Wetherby Castle

For 15 years Wetherby was home to a castle built without the consent of the King or Parliament. It was constructed in 1140 by the Percy family to guard the crossing by the River Wharfe, particularly against raids Scottish raiders, which were prevalent since most of England, north of Yorkshire was controlled by the Scots. However in 1255 its demolition was ordered by King Henry III. Only its foundations remain, very little of which comes above ground level, in 2005 and 2006 the three dwellings occupying this site were demolished and replaced by flats, named 'Castle Keep' to reflect its history, and marked with a blue plaque commissioned by Wetherby Town Council and Wetherby Civic Society.