Due to its commanding position and man-made and natural defences, it has been labelled the "most powerful baronial fortress in Cleveland."

Its rebuilding in stone in the late 12th century was accomplished without need of a keep, which has led to it being known as the first castle in the north of England to be keepless.

[5] Ord, writing in the History of Cleveland, states that: "As a fortress, it must have proved impregnable previous to the introduction of artillery; being placed on a high jutting eminence, surrounded by steep precipices, except to the west, where the ditches, foss, inner vallum, and traces of the barbican gate are distinctly observable.

[10] The valley top on the opposite side of the beck is of similar height, or higher, but was sufficiently distant away to prevent attack from artillery available at that time the castle was occupied.

[11] This led to it being labelled as "most powerful baronial fortress in Cleveland"[12] and meant that the only assault available was from the west, which Peter de Mauley tried between 1215 and 1216 when he had the castle besieged.

[19] Around 1285, she inherited the manors of Danby, Brotton, Kirkburn, Skinningrove and Yarm in Yorkshire as well as Bozeat in Northamptonshire.

Because her parents were dead, the manors and her inheritance were held in the custody of the king, which also afforded him the right to award her hand in marriage.

[31] In 1537, after the execution of George Lumley,[32] who took an active part in the Pilgrimage of Grace, the crown took possession of what was left of the castle,[33] and later in the same century, it was described as being totally abandoned.

[42][note 4] The only approach was from the west which was flanked on either side of the road by a deep ditch and there remains the possibility that access was via a drawbridge.

The Chantry Chapel of St Peter was located within the great hall of the castle, having been built by Sir William de Kylton c. 1190.