The finale of the castle's summer season is staged by re-enactment group Knights in Battle this weekend. The Sheffield-based group's tournaments have been a popular fixture at the castle since the late 1980s, but they have not yet been approached by the castle's new managers English Heritage about a repeat booking.

Representing the group, Chris Felton said: "The Castle has been returned to English Heritage management by the Ivanhoe Trust, so the future of events at the castle is unknown. This may be the last chance to see a re-enactment event at the castle".

English Heritage this week said it was too early to say what events would be run at the castle next year.

A spokeswoman told the Times: "English Heritage will continue to run an events programme at Conisbrough Castle in 2009 but it is too early for any decisions to be made about which groups will be contracted to appear at the castle next year. Planning of the national events programme will begin shortly and plans for Conisbrough will be included in that".