![]() ![]() There are few finer walks in Wakefield than a hike up to the castle, which reveals spellbinding views across the lower Calder Valley and to the city’s prominent 247-foot (75 m) cathedral spire, the tallest in Yorkshire. The park is within easy reach of the city and combines gorgeous wildlife, woodland trails and sloping fields. ![]() Sandal Castle’s ruins still stand on a hill above Pugneys Country Park, a 250-acre (101 ha) greenspace centred around two beautiful lakes, one of which is a nature reserve. The castle saw yet more bloodshed during a 1642 siege in the Civil War. It is thought that these events are the origin of the famous nursery rhyme, the Grand Old Duke of York. ![]() On 30th December 1460, the Battle of Wakefield saw Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and over 2,000 Yorkists killed at the hands of the Lancastrians, who suffered comparatively minor losses. However, a major battle took place near the now ruined Sandal Castle during the War of the Roses. This status earned Wakefield the moniker of ‘Merrie City’. In the Middle Ages, Wakefield became a market town and was renowned for its sporting events, such as the archery competitions that took place on the Calder’s meadows. ![]()
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