Editing Conisbrough Castle (section)

===13th – 15th centuries===
[[File:Conisbrough Castle inner ward - geograph.org.uk - 920706.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|The inner bailey seen from the east, showing the former locations of the gatehouse and the solar block (left), and the castle's hall (right)]]
The castle continued in the ownership of Hamelin Plantagenet's family, passing to his son [[William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey|William de Warenne]] in 1202.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> William was probably responsible for the construction of new stone [[curtain wall (castle)|curtain walls]] around the inner bailey, destroying the former earthwork defences in the process.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1980|p=80}}.</ref> The inner bailey was levelled and William built a hall and service buildings inside the castle, again in stone.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1980|pp=77, 80}}.</ref> Conisbrough was inherited by William's young son [[John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey|John de Warenne]] in 1239, but he was still a minor and the castle was initially managed by his mother, [[Maud Marshal|Maud]].<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|pp=6–7}}.</ref>

Under John, Conisbrough's [[constable]]s carried out a range of what the historian Stephen Johnson terms "colourful if rather unlawful dealings"; one was ultimately charged with having conducted "devilish and innumerable oppressions".<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> Further work was carried out in the castle during John's ownership, including modernising the castle hall and solar.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1980|p=81}}.</ref>

The castle passed to John's grandson, also called [[John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey|John]], who, in 1304, married [[Joan of Bar, Countess of Surrey|Joan de Barr]].<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> The marriage broke down but John's attempts to gain a divorce in 1316 failed in the law courts.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> John blamed [[Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster|Thomas]], the [[Earl of Lancaster]], for this and in response he kidnapped Thomas' wife; Thomas then retaliated by seizing Conisbrough Castle.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> [[Edward II of England|Edward II]] intervened in the dispute and confirmed Thomas as the new owner of the castle.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> In 1322, however, Thomas rebelled against the King and was executed, resulting in Edward taking control of Conisbrough himself.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> The King visited the castle in 1322, and spent 40 [[mark (money)|marks]] on repairing both Conisbrough and the neighbouring castle of Pontefract.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/>{{efn|name=Medievalmoney|The medieval [[Mark (money)|mark]] was worth two-thirds of an English pound; 400 marks was the equivalent of £266. It is impossible to accurately compare medieval financial sums with their modern equivalents; as a comparative example, an average English baron of the period had an annual income of around £200.<ref>{{harvnb|Pounds|1994|p=147}}.</ref>}} Edward was overthrown by his wife [[Isabella of France|Isabella]] in 1326 and the castle was returned to John.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> John had hoped to pass the property to his mistress and two illegitimate sons, but he outlived them and on his death in 1347 it reverted to the control of the Crown.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/>

Edward III gave the castle to his own son, [[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York|Edmund of Langley]], the [[Duke of York]], who controlled it until 1402.<ref name=Johnson1984P7/> Edmund's eldest son, [[Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York|Edward]], owned it until 1415, when it passed to Maud Clifford, the widow of Edmund's younger son [[Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge|Richard]], who lived there until 1446.<ref>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|pp=7–8}}.</ref> [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Richard of York]] then inherited the castle, and on his death in 1460 during the [[Wars of the Roses]] it passed to his son [[Edward IV of England|Edward]], who seized the throne in 1461, bringing Conisbrough back into Crown ownership once again.<ref name=Johnson1984P8>{{harvnb|Johnson|1984|p=8}}.</ref>