Castles · East Midlands
Alton Castle
Alton Castle — Gothic-revival castle south of the river Churnet in the village of Alton, Staffordshire, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Runaway Mine Train · 1.2 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Alton Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1800. Designed by Augustus Pugin. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Part of Alton Towers estate. Wikidata describes it as: "Gothic-revival castle south of the river Churnet in the village of Alton, Staffordshire, England, UK". Coordinates: 52.9795°, -1.8927°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Alton Castle is a Gothic-revival castle, on a hill above the Churnet Valley, in the village of Alton, Staffordshire, England. The site has been fortified in wood since Saxon times, with a stone castle dating from the 12th century. The current castle was constructed in the mid-19th century by John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, of nearby Alton Towers. Since 1967 the castle has been designated a Grade I listed building.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Alton Castle is a Gothic-revival castle, on a hill above the Churnet Valley, in the village of Alton, Staffordshire, England. The site has been fortified in wood since Saxon times, with a stone castle dating from the 12th century. The current castle was constructed in the mid-19th century by John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, of nearby Alton Towers. Since 1967 the castle has been designated a Grade I listed building. It is also a scheduled monument.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Alton Castle was founded in stone by Bertram III de Verdun and built on a rocky precipice overlooking the River Churnet in the 12th century, however the site had been fortified in wood since Saxon times. The site was taken over by the Sisters of Mercy in 1855 and the presbytery became their convent. The castle remained a private residence until 1919 when the Sisters of Mercy bought it for £3,500 to extend their boarding school. The school closed in 1989 and the castle was left empty. In 1995, it was purchased by the Archdiocese of Birmingham, and in September 1996 opened as a Catholic Youth Retreat Centre. Over 8,000 children visit the Castle each year, mainly with schools, but also from…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.9795, -1.8927
- County
- Staffordshire
- District
- Staffordshire Moorlands
- Parish
- Alton
- Postcode
- ST10 4TT
- Parliamentary constituency
- Staffordshire Moorlands
- Established
- 1800
- Nearest railway station
- Runaway Mine Train — 1.2 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q4736873 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Alton Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Alton Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Alton Castle?
- Alton Castle is in Staffordshire, the East Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode ST10 4TT), in the parish of Alton.
- When was Alton Castle built?
- Built or established in 1800. Designed by Augustus Pugin.
- Is Alton Castle a listed building?
- Alton Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Does Alton Castle charge admission?
- Alton Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Alton Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Runaway Mine Train, about 1.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode ST10 4TT.