You could be forgiven for only seeing the black aspects of the town - collieries and liquorice - yet Pontefract boasts many architectural gems and contains more listed buildings than any other area in the Wakefield district including timber-framed constructions with courtyards (ginnels) running off the central streets and look out for the Old Town Hall and the Butter Cross.

The town has benefited enormously over the years with the pedestrianisation of the town centre where visitors can view their surroundings at leisure and where some buildings are now being noticed and admired, perhaps for the first time in generations.

The excavation of the Castle, one of the most handsome, noblest fortifications in our history, was the place where Richard II was interned and "done" to death approximately 600 years ago.

Pontefract draws in an abundance of visitors each year, not least to the annual liquorice festival held in the town centre and the chance to visit The Hermitage, descending fifty-five steps to a hermit's cell under Southgate. However, you have to contact Pontefract Infirmary for the key and permission to view.

There are other underground passages that might be investigated leading off Mill Hill which were formerly part of a subterranean sand quarry that supplied a glass works and were used as air raid shelters during the Second World War!

The Valley Gardens in the centre house mature cherry blossom trees which look absolutely glorious in full bloom, their branches straining under the weight of dense pink blossom leading to very pleasingly landscaped areas. The old aviary still stands, although unfortunately the birds are long gone due to a particularly unpleasant episode involving vandals.

The paddling pool still occupies its original site in the Gardens invoking memories of children laughing and splashing around on a hot summer day, although it's a rare sight nowadays.

If history is your thing, then you won't go far wrong visiting the Museum on Salter Row which is housed in what used to be the library, an ancient building which almost disappeared when powers that be decided to modernise certain areas of the town, the new library being only a stone throws away.

On the basis that to some visitors, a town is only as interesting as its pubs, Pontefract has an abundance including colourful but ordinarily named Green Dragon, Red Lion, Golden Lion and so on, the Elephant and Cartners Arms which over a hundred years ago was bought by a grocer of that name as a shop before it became a licensed house. Outwardly the Malt Shovel looks like an ancient medieval watering hole with the interior gutted and tastefully re-invented in a more contemporary style, if that's your thing! However, one not to miss is the Counting House, probably one of the oldest buildings in the whole town (barring Pontefract Castle and possibly the Hermitage) dating back to 1480-1550 and restored to original glory, inside and out and which some believe houses its own resident ghost!

Even today, what probably brings most outsiders to the area is undoubtedly the Racecourse which is renowned for being one of the most neatest and best sited in Britain mainly due to its easy accessibility from Exit 32 of the M62, the A1 and the M18 and literally a five minute walk from the town centre.

In 1872 when the Ballot Act was introduced to Britain and the first by-election was held, the secret voting boxes were used at Pontefract. The boxes had to be sealed by an official seal before being dispatched to a secret place where the votes could be counted. It transpires that the Official who carried out this task may have used an unofficial seal however. These ballot boxes can now been seen at Pontefract Museum where a very observant and knowledgeable person has discovered that the remains of the black seal is made up from no other than liquorice....which may be an indication of the Official's own occupation! With treasures like these on show, it's no wonder tourists are attracted to the town!