The first major rebellion in William I reign occurred 1068. Harold’s sons led the rebellion. They attacked Bristol after they sailed from Ireland, but they were defeated and this almost forced William I into building the first of many castles in Exeter.
The second major rebellions saw rebels defeated from Exeter Castle, and again Harold’s sons led this rebellion. In 1069 the rebellion was later named the Harrying of the North. William left commanders in York and Durham to defend invasions from the Scots. He the built Clifford’s Tower and Baile Castle. Then the Vikings arrived, but William went north and defeated them. After this William flattened the North so people would find it less attractive, and William I thought this would mean fewer invasions however 20 years later the North was still suffering.
There were two more major rebellions in 1070-Hereward the Wake in the Fens- and in 1075 the, Rebellion in the North. Danes arrived to loot and didn’t plan to do any serious fighting. William however captured leaders and executed Danish Waltheof. Later there was news heard that another Danish invasion was planned.
William I built castles at their particular site to enable him to keep control of England. William built 75 castles towards the start of his reign; he also enforced law and order and made people pay taxes this was so that William I and his barons had safety. The castles defended the country’s strong points and were ‘Centres of Norman administration’. Almost every town and city in England had a castle.
Main purposes of castle location were to protect the country from the Scots, to contain the Welsh, protect the route to Normandy and to intimidate the Saxons.
William I positioned key castles in the North along rivers. The route that they were protecting was the leading south to the Vale of Pickering and York. Helmsley Castle was positioned on the River Rye. The land of Helmsley was first was first granted by William I to Count Robert of Mortain. Helmsley guarded the main route south from Scotland through the Dales then into the Vale of York then in to York.
Helmsley Castle was positioned along a tight bend in the River Rye. It was built on a Limestone outcrop- on high ground. The castle itself was positioned so it had a North-South location. The South Gate faced the River Rye allowing guards to see any attackers, and the East Tower overlooked and shadowed down onto Helmsley village giving the village protection.
In 1138 Helmsley Castles position was proved to be vital. In England there was civil war and Queen Matilda (the daughter of Henry I) and King Stephen -who were cousins- were leading the and the two groups of people to war. England was weak as fighting was happening in the south so this left the north in danger and unprotected. King David invaded Northallerton. The Archbishop Thurstan of York and the Lord of Helmsley –Walter Espec- came together to fight King David in the ‘Battle of the Standard’. In the battle that took place in and around Helmsley took C. 12, 000 Scots lives. This victory was called a great victory for the North. However if this battle was not fought Helmsley Castle wouldn’t have had such a good chance ever again to prove how necessary its positioning was.
