Facts about Pontefract

Pontefract's history and origins

The name ‘Pontefract’ translates to ‘broken bridge’. However we cannot be sure today where exactly that bridge was.

Pontefract is one of the ‘Five Towns’ in the Wakefield district. The Five Towns are Castleford, Featherstone, Knottingley, Pontefract and Normanton.

Pontefract is famous for liquorice and Pontefract Cakes. The first mention of liquorice being grown in Pontefract dates to the 1500s. Liquorice is thought to have come to Pontefract with monks in the 1200s.

A tin of Dunhill's 'original' Pontefract Cakes

The Ackworth Hoard was found buried in a local garden. It's made up of nearly 600 gold and silver coins and a gold ring, all inside a Wrenthorpe pot. It’s burial dates to the English Civil Wars.

The Ackworth Hoard, on display at Pontefract Museum

Famous Pontefract traditions

The first recorded horse race in Pontefract was way back in 1648. Races had probably been held in Pontefract for much longer than that. The course at Pontefract is the longest continuous flat racing circuit in Europe.

Yorkshire's first published cookery writer came from Pontefract. Elizabeth Moxon published 'English Housewifery' in 1741.

'English Housewifery', twelfth edition, Elizabeth Moxon, 1785

The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) was formed in 1881. It has historic roots going back to 1755. The regiment was originally based in Pontefract.

Pontefract made national political history in 1872. The first parliamentary election by secret ballot was held here on 15 August 1872.

A ballot box from the 1872 by-election, on display at Pontefract Museum

Pontefract Museum is in an Art Nouveau building. The building was built in the early 1900s to house Pontefract Library. Pontefract Museum opened inside the building in 1978.

Pontefract Museum

Pontefract Castle facts

Pontefract Castle was built by 1086 by Ilbert de Lacy. He's the namesake of our mascot, Ilbert the Dragon!

Pontefract Castle has been known as ‘the Key to the North’ since the 1200s.

Pontefract Castle by Alexander Keirincx, around 1640. On display at Pontefract Museum. On loan from The Hepworth Wakefield.

John de Lacy was one of the barons that forced King John to seal the Magna Carta in 1215.

Richard II was kept prisoner at Pontefract Castle in 1399. He died there on or around 14 February 1400.

Richard II in Prison, J. Coghlan, early 1800s. Folger Shakespeare Library Digital Image Collection.

In 1541, Henry VIII and his fifth wife Catherine Howard visited Pontefract Castle. Catherine and Thomas Culpeper’s affair was discovered here. A ‘love letter’ found at Pontefract Castle led to Catherine and Thomas’ execution.

Siege coins were made from silver plate at Pontefract Castle during the English Civil Wars. They were used to pay the soldiers stuck in the castle.

Pontefract Castle endured three sieges during the English Civil Wars.

Parliament ordered Pontefract Castle to be demolished after the English Civil Wars in 1649.

Siege coins minted at Pontefract Castle on display in the Visitor Centre

The famous Dunhill family grew liquorice at Pontefract Castle for more than 100 years. The dungeon was used to store liquorice root.

The Victorians loved Pontefract Castle. They converted the overgrown castle grounds to a 'pleasure garden' in the 1880s.

Over 160 historic herbs are grown today in the Medieval Herb Garden.

The Medieval Herb Garden at Pontefract Castle