Skipton Castle

The 17th century Gatehouse, Skipton Castle, Skipton, North Yorkshire.
The castle itself was built in 1102 to replace an earlier motte and bailey castle.
In 1310, Edward II gave Skipton Castle to Robert Clifford, who became Lord of Skipton. The castle belonged to the Clifford family until 1676.
Lady Anne Clifford had largely rebuilt the castle in 1657-8 after it had been almost wholly dismantled by order of Parliament after the Civil War.
Sheep fleeces are said to have been hung over the walls during the Engish Civil War to minimize the damage from cannon shots. The town's coat of arms bears sheep fleeces.