William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, built the first timber castle after his 1107 grant of the Sandal estates. It was a Norman motte-and-bailey on a sandstone ridge. Stone replaced the timber fortifications in phases from the 12th century. The keep was circular, with four four-story towers, two of which formed a gatehouse. A barbican and drum towers followed in the early 1270s. The motte was raised to 33 feet (10 m), and the keep's east-tower well is 121 feet (37 m) deep.
The Battle of Wakefield was fought nearby on December 30, 1460, and Richard Plantagenet was killed. Richard III chose the castle as a northern base in 1483. It surrendered on October 1, 1645, and Parliament ordered it made untenable in 1646.
Wakefield Council owns it. It is a scheduled monument and a Grade II* listed building.
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