Castles · North Wales
Beeston Castle
Beeston Castle is a former Royal castle in Beeston, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ537593), perched on a rocky sandstone crag 350 feet (107 m) above the Cheshire Plain. It was built in the 1220s
David Dixon — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Beeston Castle is a former Royal castle in Beeston, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ537593), perched on a rocky sandstone crag 350 feet (107 m) above the Cheshire Plain. It was built in the 1220s by Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester (1170–1232), on his return from the Crusades. In 1237, Henry III took over the ownership of Beeston, and it was kept in good repair until the 16th century, when it was considered to be of no further military use, although it was pressed into service again in 1643, during the English Civil War. The castle was slighted (partly demolished) in 1646, in accordance with Cromwell's destruction order, to prevent its further use as a bastion. During the 18th century, parts of the site were used as a quarry. The castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument owned and managed by English Heritage. The walls of the outer bailey and the gatehouse and curtain walls of the inner bailey are recorded separately in the National Heritage List for England as designated Grade I listed buildings. A legend states that the royal treasure of Richard II was buried in the castle grounds but many searches have failed to discover the hoard.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Beeston Castle is a former Royal castle in Beeston, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ537593), perched on a rocky sandstone crag 350 feet (107 m) above the Cheshire Plain. It was built in the 1220s by Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester (1170–1232), on his return from the Crusades. In 1237, Henry III took over the ownership of Beeston, and it was kept in good repair until the 16th century, when it was considered to be of no further military use, although it was pressed into service again in 1643, during the English Civil War. The castle was slighted (partly demolished) in 1646, in accordance with Cromwell's destruction order, to prevent its further use as a bastion. During the 18th century, parts of the site were used as a quarry. The castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument owned and managed by English Heritage. The walls of the outer bailey and the gatehouse and curtain walls of the inner bailey are recorded separately in the National Heritage List for England as designated Grade I listed buildings. A legend states that the royal treasure of Richard II was buried in the castle grounds but many searches have failed to discover the hoard.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
Beeston was built for Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, in the early 13th century. The siting of the castle's outer bailey walls was chosen to take advantage of the fortifications remaining from the earlier Iron Age rampart. In medieval documents the castle is described as Castellum de Rupe, the Castle on the Rock. It is one of three major castles built by Ranulph in the 1220s, shortly after his return from the Fifth Crusade. The others are Bolingbroke in Lincolnshire, and Chartley, Staffordshire, both of which share similar architectural features with Beeston; in particular the design of the towers. ]] ]] , showing Beeston Castle from the south]] Unlike many other castles of the…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 53.1277, -2.6913
- District
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Parish
- Beeston
- Postcode
- CW6 9TX
- Parliamentary constituency
- Chester South and Eddisbury
- Phone
- +44 1829 260464
- Established
- 1220
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: Beeston Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
Vineyards · North Wales
Beeston Castle hillfort
Beeston Castle hillfort — a UK vineyard in wales north, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
📷 3Historic bridges · North Wales
Wharton's Bridge
Wharton's Bridge — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in wales-north, United Kingdom.
📷 3Castles · North Wales
Peckforton Castle
Peckforton Castle — Grade I listed country house in Peckforton, Cheshire, England, UK.
📷 3Historic bridges · North Wales
Bate's Mill Bridge
Bate's Mill Bridge — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in wales-north, United Kingdom.
📷 5Towns & cities · North Wales
Beeston
Beeston — village and civil parish in Cheshire West, Cheshire, UK.
Vineyards · North Wales
Promontory fort east of Peckforton Mere
Promontory fort east of Peckforton Mere — a UK vineyard in wales north, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
More castles in this region
📷 5Castles · North Wales
Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle — castle in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales.
📷 3Castles · North Wales
Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle — castle in Caernarfon, North Wales.
📷 4Castles · North Wales
Chirk Castle
Chirk Castle — medieval fortress in Wrexham County Borough, Wales.
📷 5Castles · North Wales
Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle — castle in Conwy, North Wales.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Beeston Castle?
- Beeston Castle is in North Wales, United Kingdom (postcode CW6 9TX), in the parish of Beeston.
- When was Beeston Castle built?
- Built or established in 1220.
- Does Beeston Castle charge admission?
- Beeston Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Beeston Castle?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode CW6 9TX. It sits within the Chester South and Eddisbury parliamentary constituency.