Pictures of Pontefract

a Historic Market Town in the county of West Yorkshire

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About Pontefract

Pontefract has a ruined castle which has seen many tragedies, Richard II was murdered there in 1400, and later it was the scene of bitter, bloody battles between Roundheads and Royalists. It was also whilst on a visit to Pontefract, that Henry VIII discovered his wife, Queen Catherine Howard had betrayed him by taking one of his courtiers as her lover. Later both the Queen and her lover were executed. Today, all signs of murder and treachery are gone and the castle ruins, lying peacefully on a rise above the town, surrounded by lawns and flowerbeds, make a splendid atmospheric visit for tourists.

Standing serenely below the castle ruins is All Saint's Church, rebuilt during the first half of the 18th century, the church occupies part of the ground on which an earlier church once stood. Both All Saints and Pontefract's other church dedicated to St.Giles, dating from early in the 12th century, are well worth seeing, the latter being found in the wide market place were there is a butter cross of 1743 and good examples of 18th century architecture.

Pontefract is a lively interesting place, it was once known for the production of Pontefract cakes, small liquorice sweets, and although these are still produced locally, some of the old larger factories are now gone, along with the local liquorice fields. Today, liquorice mostly comes from Turkey.

Shopping here is a good experience, with modern shopping centres set around wide boulevards. Visitors will find individual art and craft galleries, smart clothes shops and the usual retailers for food and other general necessities.

Today, Pontefract is quite possibly best known for its fine racecourse lying on the north side of the town. This is one of the best courses of its kind, with every modern facility for visitors and a racing calendar featuring the finest horseflesh, ensuring entertaining competitive racing. There is also an exciting Greyhound stadium at nearby Kingsley.

Pontefract gives easy access to the cities of Wakefield and Leeds, it lies surrounded by spacious Yorkshire countryside within easy reach of the River Went, the Aire and Calder Navigation. A little further distant lie the waters of the Selby Canal. Thus there are opportunities for boating, fishing, and both riverside, and canal walks. There are also town trails pointing out the most interesting and historic parts of Pontefract.

Visitors will find excellent hotels, restaurants, cafes and inns. Both in and out of the town you can find self-catering accommodation and bed and breakfast.

Planning a visit? Please see below for other recommended towns, attractions and recommended hotels nearby.

Distances and directions below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner

Recommended attractions near Pontefract

Pontefract Castle	(0.3 miles, 0.5 km)	Pictures
Nostell Priory	(4.3 miles, 6.9 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Anglers Country Park	(6.2 miles, 10.1 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Howell Wood Country Park	(7.8 miles, 12.5 km, direction S)	Pictures
Wakefield Cathedral	(7.8 miles, 12.5 km, direction W)	Pictures
Sandal Castle	(7.8 miles, 12.6 km, direction W)	Pictures
Pugneys Country Park	(8.7 miles, 13.9 km, direction W)	Pictures
Newmillerdam Country Park	(8.7 miles, 14.0 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Temple Newsam	(8.9 miles, 14.4 km, direction NW)	Pictures
Brodsworth Hall	(9.6 miles, 15.5 km, direction S)	Pictures
Brodsworth Community Woodlands	(9.8 miles, 15.8 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Monk Bretton Priory	(10.7 miles, 17.3 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds	(11.5 miles, 18.4 km, direction NW)	Pictures
Yorkshire Sculpture Park	(12.0 miles, 19.3 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Dearne Valley	(12.3 miles, 19.8 km, direction S)	Pictures

All attractions in Pontefract
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Recommended towns near Pontefract

Featherstone, in the county of West Yorkshire (2.3 miles, 3.7 km, direction SW)
Featherstone is a large town lying between Wakefield and Pontefract in West Yorkshire. For the past couple of centuries the town was known chiefly for its coal mines.
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Castleford, in the county of West Yorkshire (2.7 miles, 4.3 km, direction NW)
This is a large Northern town with roots stretching back to the Romans and beyond, as proven by the recent finding of a Bronze Age male skeleton and his chariot.
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Eggborough, in the county of North Yorkshire (6.7 miles, 10.9 km, direction E)
This is a typical Yorkshire village settled close to the meeting point of North and South Yorkshire.
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Wakefield, in the county of West Yorkshire (8.1 miles, 13.1 km, direction W)
Wakefield was the capital of Yorkshire's woollen industry for more than 700 years, it was an important weaving and dying centre as far back as the 13th century.
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Snaith, in the county of East Riding of Yorkshire (11.7 miles, 18.8 km, direction E)
This small town appears to be almost surrounded by water, it developed along the banks of the River Aire and to the east is the Ouse.
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Barnsley, in the county of South Yorkshire (11.9 miles, 19.2 km, direction SW)
This is an attractive town laid out along the River Dearne, it is enclosed by spectacular Pennine scenery and is an ideal place from which to discover the limestone hills and fresh green valley's of the Yorkshire Dales.
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Leeds, in the county of West Yorkshire (12.4 miles, 20.0 km, direction NW)
In the middle ages Leeds was a wool centre and it flourished. The sheep on the Yorkshire moors providing the wool for the cottage...
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Sprotbrough, in the county of South Yorkshire (13.3 miles, 21.4 km, direction SE)
Sprotbrough lies in the valley of the River Don, it is a lovely rural location with fertile fields and meadows leading from leafy lanes whose hedgerows are full of wild plants and flowers.
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Tadcaster, in the county of North Yorkshire (13.4 miles, 21.6 km, direction N)
Tadcaster has been at the centre of the Brewing industry since the 18th century, and today breweries remain conspicuous on its landscape.
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Doncaster, in the county of South Yorkshire (13.8 miles, 22.3 km, direction SE)
Doncaster lies in what was once a great sweep of Yorkshire coalfields. It is home to one of the finest racecourses in the country where the classic St.Leger Stakes has been run each September since 1776, making the race four years older than the Derby.
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Mirfield, in the county of West Yorkshire (15.9 miles, 25.7 km, direction W)
Mirfield is a residential town situated between Huddersfield and Dewsbury. It has a long history, and associations with Robin...
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Thrybergh, in the county of South Yorkshire (16.3 miles, 26.2 km, direction S)
Thrybergh is a pretty South Yorkshire village with a history stretching back to the time of the Doomsday Book, for centuries it was little more than a small rural village with scattered housing and farms.
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Wadworth, in the county of South Yorkshire (17.0 miles, 27.4 km, direction SE)
This is a pleasant South Yorkshire village lying in lush countryside a few miles from the city of Rotherham.
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Braithwell, in the county of South Yorkshire (17.7 miles, 28.5 km, direction S)
Braithwell lies at the centre of a largely rural community, the surrounding landscape is mostly of farms and leafy lanes siding fields full of grazing cattle and sheep.
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Rotherham, in the county of South Yorkshire (18.2 miles, 29.3 km, direction S)
This town was formerly a Saxon market town which remained largely unaltered until the Industrial Revolution.
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All towns in West Yorkshire
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Nearby travel help

Pontefract Baghill Station	(0.3 miles, 0.4 km)
Pontefract Monkhill Station	(0.4 miles, 0.6 km)
M62 Junction 32	(1.6 miles, 2.5 km, direction NW)
M62 Junction 33	(1.7 miles, 2.7 km, direction E)
Leeds Bradford International Airport	(18.9 miles, 30.5 km, direction NW)
Sheffield City Airport	(20.8 miles, 33.4 km, direction S)
Pontefract to London	(158.9 miles, 255.7 km, direction S)

Hotels & Accommodation in Pontefract

Hotel Name	Approximate distance from Pontefract center
Tulip Inn Leeds/Castleford	(1.9 miles, 3.0 km, direction NW)
Quality Hotel Leeds	(5.2 miles, 8.3 km, direction N)
Stoneleigh Hotel	(5.3 miles, 8.5 km, direction SW)
Monk Fryston Hall Hotel	(5.7 miles, 9.2 km, direction NE)
Best Western Milford Hotel	(5.9 miles, 9.6 km, direction N)
The Old Vicarage	(6.1 miles, 9.8 km, direction E)
Best Western Waterton Park Hotel	(6.9 miles, 11.1 km, direction SW)
De Vere Oulton Hall	(7.2 miles, 11.5 km, direction NW)
Stanley View Guest House	(7.3 miles, 11.8 km, direction W)
Holiday Inn Leeds Garforth	(7.6 miles, 12.2 km, direction NW)
All hotels in Pontefract