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Wakefield Museums and Castles
The Magna Carta
The de Lacy family made additions to Pontefract Castle during the 1100s. They made it one of the mightiest fortresses in England.
However, when Roger de Lacy died in 1211, King John confiscated the castle. He made Roger’s heir, John de Lacy, pay a huge fee to release his inheritance. John de Lacy was not willing to give up the castle without a fight. He joined several other rebel barons and forced King John to seal the Magna Carta in 1215.
King John of England signing Magna Carta on June 15, 1215, at Runnymede; coloured wood engraving, 19th century. Unknown artist, held by The Granger Collection, New York. Source: brittanica.com
The Magna Carta (which means "Great Charter" in Latin) was a document drawn up by a group of barons. They were unhappy with the way King John was ruling England. It guaranteed several rights and protections for the barons.
It was a big step forward for justice in England and became the basis of the English political system.
Find out more on a tour
If you would like to find out more, then come and visit us at Pontefract Castle!
We run two types of guided tour every weekend:
- Our Dungeon Tours explore the eerie underground dungeon. They are at 10:45am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Our Castle Explorer Tours tell stories of the castle's past around the grounds. They are at 2pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.