Editing Conisbrough Castle (section)

===11th – 12th centuries===
[[File:Aerial view of Conisbrough Castle - geograph.org.uk - 639358.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|Aerial photograph in 2007, showing the [[outer bailey|outer]] and [[inner bailey]]s (bottom left and top right)]]
Conisbrough Castle was founded by [[William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey|William de Warenne]], the first [[Earl of Surrey]], who had taken part in the [[Norman conquest of England]] in 1066 and was rewarded by his father-in-law, [[William the Conqueror]], with extensive estates in [[Yorkshire]], [[Norfolk]] and [[Sussex]].<ref name=Johnson1984P3>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=3}}.</ref> As part of these, Lord de Warenne was given the manor of [[Conisbrough]], which had previously been owned by the late Saxon king [[Harold Godwinson|Harold II]].<ref name=Johnson1984P3/> The manor took its name from the [[Old English]] name for the settlement, ''Cyningesburh'', meaning "the king's fortress", and formed a large estate comprising 28 townships, centred on a fortified [[burh]] at Conisbrough itself.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=3}}; {{cite web|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/conisbrough-castle/history/|title=History of Conisbrough Castle|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=30 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101231850/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/conisbrough-castle/history/|archive-date=1 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

William built his castle on a rocky [[Magnesian Limestone]] [[spur]] surrounded by steep banks, and the fortification included a [[motte]], an [[inner bailey]] protected by an earth bank and [[palisade]]s, an [[outer bailey]], and possibly a timber [[keep]].<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=3}}; {{harvnb|Clark|1884a|p=433}}; {{cite web|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/conservation-bulletin-19/conservationbulletin19.pdf|title=Conservation Bulletin, Issue 19, March 1993|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=30 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101231902/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/conservation-bulletin-19/conservationbulletin19.pdf|archive-date=1 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The castle was located around {{convert|175|ft}} above the river and would have dominated this part of the [[Lower Don Valley|Don Valley]].<ref>{{harvnb|Clark|1884a|p=433}}; {{cite web|url=http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1010828|title=List Entry|publisher=English Heritage|mode=cs2|access-date=30 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113020101/http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1010828|archive-date=13 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was positioned directly opposite the village, which probably contained the old Anglo-Saxon burh.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=3}}; {{harvnb|Clark|1884b|p=126}}.</ref>

The castle was held by William's son, also called [[William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey|William]], from 1088 to 1138, and then by his son, another [[William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey|William]], until his death in 1147.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|pp=3, 5}}.</ref> Conisbrough and the earldom then passed through [[Isabel de Warenne, Countess of Surrey|Isabel]], William's daughter, to her first husband, [[William I, Count of Boulogne|William de Blois]], and then on to her second husband, [[Hamelin de Warenne, Earl of Surrey|Hamelin Plantagenet]], whom she married in 1163.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=5}}.</ref> Hamelin was the illegitimate half-brother of King [[Henry II of England|Henry II]], who had arranged the marriage, and the union brought him great wealth.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=5}}; {{harvnb|Liddiard|2005|p=54}}.</ref> Hamelin extensively rebuilt the castle around 1180 to 1190, including constructing the stone keep; given his ''[[parvenu]]'' status, he probably hoped to reinforce perceptions of his new elevated rank.<ref>{{harvnb|Liddiard|2005|p=54}}; {{harvnb|Johnson|1980|p=78}}.</ref> King [[John of England|John]] visited the castle in 1201.<ref name=Johnson1984P7>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=7}}.</ref>