Pontefract is a historic market town in West Yorkshire, England, located in the District of Wakefield, east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. It is located at the junctions of the A1 and M62 and a great place to stop for a visit.
Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Pontefract had a population of 30,881 in 2011. Its name originates from the Latin pons fractus, meaning “broken bridge”, referencing an event in 1069 when William the Conqueror found a bridge over the River Aire blockaded.
Pontefract Castle also known as “The Key to the North”, initially a wooden structure before 1086 and later rebuilt in stone, saw King Richard II murdered there in 1400 and was besieged by Oliver Cromwell in 1648-49 before being slighted. The town has a liquorice-sweet industry, producing Pontefract cakes, and holds an annual Liquorice Festival. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday, and the town is served by three railway stations and close proximity to the A1 and M62.
