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to all of the Vitamark Partners who are currently in qualification for the
trip. You can find a list of them in the recognition section of the GMT. There are 9 weeks left to qualify.
Peckforton Castle is a country house built in the style of a medieval castle.
It stands in woodland at the north end of Peckforton Hills 1 mile (2 km)
northwest of the village of Peckforton, Cheshire, England. The house was built
in the middle of the 19th century as a family home for John Tollemache, a
wealthy Cheshire landowner, estate manager, and Member of Parliament. It was
designed by Anthony Salvin in the Gothic style. The Tollemache family continued
to live in the house until 1939. During the Second World War it was used as a
hostel for physically handicapped children.
The building has not been used as a family residence since 1939. During the
1970s and 1980s it was used as a location for shooting films and television
programmes. The castle was bought in 1988 by Evelyn Graybill, who converted it
into a hotel. In 2006 it was purchased by the Naylor family, who expanded its
use to include hosting weddings, conferences, and other functions.
Although it was built as a family home its design was that of a medieval
castle. It has a gatehouse, a portcullis, a dry moat, external windows that are
little more than arrow slots, and large towers. In 1851 The Illustrated London
News said that it "seems to exhibit the peculiar beauties of Carnarvon
Castle without its inconveniences" and in 1858 Sir George Gilbert Scott
called it "the largest and most carefully and learnedly executed Gothic
mansion of the present" and that it was "the very height of masquerading".
It is regarded as "the last serious fortified home built in England"
and "it was executed to the highest standards and is one of the great
buildings of its age".
There has been debate about the motives for building a more-or-less complete
medieval-style castle in the 19th century. Although he was a great estate
manager, Tollemache was also perceived as "a man of considerable
eccentricity". Dr Jill Allibone is of the opinion that he might have been
protecting himself and his family from the political troubles of the time. In a
defensive building he would be able to protect himself against any revolution
by the masses from nearby Manchester or Liverpool. A possible practical reason
for building such a solid residence rather than an Italianate-style villa was
to provide shelter from the adverse weather conditions which could affect the
Cheshire plain. However Durdey comes to the conclusion that the decisive
factors were to use his "vast inheritance" to provide himself with a
house that was "impressive, dominant and suitable for Cheshire's greatest
landowner".
External
The castle is faced with red sandstone, and has lead, asphalt and tile roofs.
It is mainly in three storeys with a five-storey tower. The buildings are
arranged around a ward with the principal accommodation on the north side. It
is surrounded by a dry moat which is bridged at the gatehouse. To the west of
the inner ward are the stables, the coach house, a rectangular bell tower and
the kitchens and service area. To the north is the great hall range which
consists of 18 bays. Behind the entrance to the hall is the circular main
tower. At the east end of the gallery wing is the octagonal library tower. The
outer walls of the castle have full-height slender turrets at the changes in
direction. Corbel tables support part of the battlements. The walls contain
arrow slots, and in the gatehouse is a garderobe. The flat roof has a
crenellated parapet.
Internal
The porch leads into the great hall which has a Minton tile floor and a large
stone chimney piece. In the east wing is the long gallery which has oak
panelling, a chimney-piece and a panelled ceiling. Behind the long gallery is
an irregularly-shaped billiard room and the drawing room. To the south of these
is the library. Behind the great hall is the main staircase. The circular tower
at the north-west corner contains the octagonal dining room with a Minton tile
floor, two fireplaces, and a vault of eight radial ribs running to a central
boss. The room contains an oak sideboard with a carved Green Man. Below the
dining room is a wine cellar. On the fifth floor of the circular tower is a
room designed for playing rackets, which is approached by a stone spiral
staircase.
Garden
The castle had no formal garden, but at the bottom of the drive were kitchen
gardens which included vegetable gardens, an orchard, extensive glass houses
and a large orangery. At one time, 17 gardeners were employed.
Chapel
On the east side of the ward is the family's private chapel, a Grade II* listed
building. It was also designed by Salvin and is constructed of rock-faced
sandstone with a tile roof. Its plan consists of a two-bay nave, a south aisle,
a vestry, and a narrower and lower single-bay chancel. On the gable ends of the
nave and chancel are stone cross finials. Over the chancel arch is a cruciform
stone bellcote. Inside the chapel an arcade of three Gothic arches separates
the south aisle from the nave. The reredos is made of oak and is inscribed with
the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. The choirstalls and the benches in
the nave are carved with poppyheads. The baptistry at the west end contains a
carved stone font with a carved oak cover. Although it is described as a modest
building, the chapel is considered to "complete the ensemble" of the
castle.
Text and images via wikipedia.org
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