Pontefract in General

Pontefract is one of Englands most historic market towns. Its name means 'broken bridge' not sure why this was. Pontefract castle was once thought, by Oliver Cromwell, to be one of the strongest in the country. The town also had a very popular workhouse in Victorian times and there is lots of information and photographs on the internet about this. Nowadays Pontefract is a little rough around the edges but there are some good points. There are some good pubs in the centre of Pontefract and many people now frequent the town on a Friday and Saturday as 'Ponty' is a really good night out. Hotels and B&Bs are also really cheap so another reason why ...  Read the complete review

Pontefract is a town in Yorkshire famous for it’s racecourse and of course Pontefract cakes. There’s much more to Ponte (as locals call it) than this though. The town was important in medieval times for it’s castle which was one of the greatest in Yorkshire, although these days there are always many appeals running to pay for the upkeep if it, as it is tending to wrack and ruin at the moment. It was a royal stronghold, as Richard II was imprisoned and died there. ~~~~~ Pontefract racecourse, which sits on the outskirts of the town, is know for having the longest, flattest, circular course in Europe - nice. Although on race days, the ...  Read the complete review