Mexborough & Swinton Times, March 24 1893
Conisbrough Notes
Conisbrough Castle
Is Conisborough Castle likely, after all, as a result of decay, to crumble away ?
A few days ago I was strolling around the old keep and was by no means satisfied that the best attention is being given to keep the ancient pile in a reasonable state of preservation.
My impression has been made all the more conclusive by reason of correspondence to a Leeds contemporary, on this very question. The writer was Mr. J. L. Holt of Elm Mite, St. Lawrence, Isle of Wight, and he pleads for prompt attention to the matter, so that the firmer abode of Athelstane the Unready, should not be allowed to fall into a suite of decay beyond remedy.
The outside facing is acknowledged to be at present in danger; and this will come as quite a revelation to antiquarians who are interested in the retention of these national and historic monuments, which carry the mind back to the stirring scents in ancient days.
Our ruins at Conisborough are intimately connected with the Old Saxon period of Yorkshire history and they have been made world-wide famous by the “Wizard of the North.” Every person acquainted with “Ivanhoe” will sincerely trust that steps may he speedily taken to cement and otherwise attend to the noble pile which still stands frowning upon the Vale of the Don.