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The existence of a castle on Piel Island can be traced back to at least the reign of King Stephen (1135-1154) but after numerous attacks by Robert the Bruce none of this first castle survives.
The present structure dates originally from 1327 but was partially dismantled in 1403 by the Abbots of Furness Abbey (who owned it) so that Henry IV could not install revenue men in it. By c1429 it had been repaired, and on 15th June 1487 it witnessed its most dramatic claim to fame when Lambert Simnel landed on Piel with an army of Flemish and Irish troops to challenge Henry VII. Lambert Simnel claimed (falsely) to be the son of the Duke of Clarence, middle brother between Edward IV and Richard III. He had even been crowned as "Edward VI" the month before at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.
Henry Tudor had defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field to claim the crown in 1485 and now two years later fought Simnel's army at the ensuing Battle of Stoke Field near Newark on Trent supposedly the day after Simnel's landing on Piel; though how he could have got an army from Piel to Newark in a day I don't know - suggesting that the landing date is perhaps a little wrong.
Simnel's army was defeated by Henry in a hard-fought battle which resulted in higher casualties than Bosworth Field.
In an unusual and uncharacteristic display of clemency, Henry pardoned Simnel - acknowledging that he was a pawn of the Yorkists, in particular Richard Simon. Simnel even went on to work in the palace kitchens and finished his days as a falconer.
This brush with History was undoubtedly Piel's historical high point, and soon after this the castle fell into disrepair such that by 1530 it was described as having "long been in ruins".
For more information on the castle see:
EH Ancient Monument Listing Link
EH Grade I Listing Link
Wikipedia article Link
EH Visitor information Link
Note: To visit the castle, you will first have to travel over to Piel Island by ferry, see Link for information on this.