The History of Knaresborough

Originally known as Chenaresburg, Knaresborugh is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The castle within the town dated back to Norman times and it is believed that around 1100 the settlement began to expand in order to service the castle with a market. The local church, St John's, was also built at this time to co-inside with the growth of the town.

After the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644, during the English Civil War, the castle was besieged by Parliamentary forces. The castle eventually fell and in 1646 and was destroyed in 1648. Looting took hold and many of the stones once used to create the town's castle were used to build many of the other buildings in the town.

The town itself is situated in a deep gorge formed by the River Nidd. This valley is overlooked by the ruins of Knaresboorugh castle which was rebuilt in the fourteenth century.

Knaresborough is centred around the market place where a market has been held on a Wednesday since around 1310, although earlier markets are also recorded. Today the market place is most well known as the home of England's oldest pharmacy which initially began trading in 1720.

Today, Knaresbourgh is popular with visitors and locals alike, and benefits from having both it's own football and criket clubs.