£12.90
Wakefield's Military Heritage
Following the Norman Conquest
The manor of Wakefield became a Norman stronghold, with castles being built at Sandal and Wakefield by the Warenne family, earls of Surrey.
The Wars of the Roses
A crucial battle was fought at Wakefield in 1460, resulting in the death of Richard, Duke of York.
The Civil War
Another battle was fought over Wakefield in the Civil War, when Parliamentarian troops besieged and destroyed Sandal Castle and captured the prosperous port and market town from Royalist defenders.
Later Centuries and Conflicts
Later centuries saw troops levied in Wakefield to fight Bonnie Prince Charlie and volunteers raised to fight Napoleon. These volunteers served throughout Britain’s foreign conflicts in the nineteenth century, and during the two world wars in the twentieth century. The home front in Wakefield during these conflicts also experienced the wars, and the sites of underground bomb shelters from the Second World War still exist.
Wakefield’s Military Heritage
Wakefield’s Military Heritage delves into this city’s remarkable military history and will be of interest to locals and visitors alike.
