William le Gros built a castle on the headland at Scarborough.

As part of his attempt to subdue the Barons who had become too powerful during the civil war, Henry took the castle at Scarborough from William of Aumale and Bridgnorth from Hugh Mortimer.

Gaveston's return to England forced the Archbishop of Canterbury to honour his threat of excommunication and the Earls to prepare for civil war against the king. Edward and Gaveston travelled to Scotland to seek help from Robert the Bruce but were not welcome.

While the Earl of Lancaster set up camp midway between York and Scarborough to prevent Gaveston and the King rejoining, the Earls of Pembroke and Surrey besieged Scarborough castle. The castle was not prepared to withstand the stand-off and Gaveston surrendered after a couple of weeks. The terms of his surrender were generous and Pembroke gave his word that Gaveston would not be harmed until he was presented to Parliament.

Thomas Stafford, a Protestant, and a small number of followers who had fled from Mary's persecution captured Scarborough Castle on the Yorkshire coast. They did so by entering the castle on market day disguised as peasants. When enough of his men had entered the castle they took control of the gates and let in the rest of the small army. Their hope was to start an uprising against the Queen and this endevour may have been aranged by Henry II, the French King. But within three days Thomas Stafford had been captured. He was taken to London and executed.