changed his name to Duncombe. He hired William Wakefield, a protégé of Sir John Vanbrugh, to build a country house at Duncombe Park overlooking the castle, and left the castle to decay. The castle was designed as a picturesque backdrop for the Duncombe Park estate, and was even sketched by the great J. M. W. Turner. As the castle fell into disrepair the local community took advantage of the site to hold fêtes, pageants and even agricultural shows. The vicar of All Saints' Church, Charles Norris Gray, often held events in the castle throughout the latter part of the 19th century. The castle passed into the hands of the Office of Works in 1923 (under the guardianship of Sir Charles Peers), who began the clearing of debris and trees from the site. The castle's remarkable earthworks were planned to be part of an anti-tank defence during the Second World War. Although it is still owned by Lord Feversham's family, of Duncombe Park, the castle is now in the care of English Heritage. See also Castles in Great Britain and Ireland List of castles in England References Sources Further reading External links English Heritage official site Turner's sketch of Helmsley Castle hosted on TATE Britain webpage Castles in North Yorkshire English Heritage sites in North Yorkshire Ruins in North Yorkshire Helmsley