parliament then appointed thomas dickenson, the local mayor, as the governor of clifford's tower. control of the castle rested with the post of mayor until the restoration. efforts were made to separate the structures of clifford's tower, which parliament used as a garrison, from the buildings of the bailey, which continued to be used as a prison. oliver cromwell visited clifford's tower in 1650, and received a salute from the guns stationed on top of it. the cost of the garrison was levied on the city of york.