In 1170 Middleham passed to Robert Fits Randelf, who in 1170 converted Middleham into a square keep (to the left), which is a large stone thick keep more impregnable then a motte and baily. In the dark (500 A.D to 1000A.D) and middle (500 A.D to 1400 A.D) ages infinite war was taking place and getting worse so stronger bigger castles were needed to stand up to new siege weaponry. The first castle was built to the west of the square keep on a hill. This castle would of being better defensively if it was on the hill, put still no historians know why the castle was moved.
The Nevill family were the next to inherit Middleham in 1270, through marriages Ralf Nevill was the next to add to Middleham in 1355. He added the curtain wall (to the left) which is a stone wall which surrounded the castle. This was added to also increase defence. Ralf 4th Nevill lord added the most to Middleham in the fifteenth century. The first thing he did was to increase the south and west curtain wall size to make defences more efficient. A gate was added to the east wall to make entering the castle easier for town’s people east of the castle. More residential areas are also added as Nevill had altogether 23 children and more people wanted to live in the castle as it was luxurious.
When Nevil passed away in Richard Nevill, earl of Salisbury was given Middleham and it was in this time the north range was thought to be added. He also raised the height of the west tower (to the left down below). Richard also gave more light to the great hall as a giant window was added later though he was executed and the next eldest Nevill son took Middleham.
In the 1400 Castles became important in England, in 1455-1485 a civil war broke out named the war of the roses. England was very unsettled around this time. Castles proved as strong hold in these times of civil division as rest with out fear of war could be gotten in these strongholds.
Middleham was taken in Richard earl of Warick (to the left), who got the title kingmaker as he was the power behind the thrown. When Edward the 4th was drove out of England in 1470 by the kingmaker he built up a force and returned in March 1471. It was then kingmaker against the king in April 1471 at the battle of Barnet and the kingmaker was crushed. Edwards’s brother was Richard 3rd duke of Gloucester who was put in charge of the north and Middleham. He was to add the final floor above the great hall to Middleham castle in the fifteenth century.
The final floor was and still is a mystery, to why it was added. A believed reason is to give the great hall extra sunlight, but this could of being done more cheaply by just replacing the existing windows. The most popular reason is that the floor was added to add more splendour to Middleham castle and to also create a significant chamber for anyone of importance who came to visit Middleham (to the left).
Middleham developed from the motte and baily style to the baronial (to the left) style because it needed to impress and be defensive enough to warn off an attack from civil war and war from other countries close to the castle like Wales and Scotland. If the changes had not being made to Middleham the ancient castle would have died long ago.