Bolesworth Castle

Bolesworth Castle
Location in Cheshire
OS grid reference: SJ 494 559
Built: 1829
Built for: George Walmesley
Architect: William Cole
Listed Building – Grade II*
Designated: 4 January 1984
Reference #: 1278804

Bolesworth Castle is a country house 2 miles (3 km) south of the village of Tattenhall, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.[1]

Contents

History

Bolesworth Castle was built for George Walmesley, a Manchester businessman, to a design by William Cole in 1829,[1] on the site of an older house dating from 1750.[2] In 1856 it was bought by Robert Barbour, a Scottish businessman who founded a cotton textile business in Manchester. It has remained in the Barbour family since.[2] In 1920–23 the castle was partly remodelled by Clough Williams-Ellis.[1]

Architecture

The house is built in ashlar sandstone and is castellated. It is mainly in two storeys with wide canted bays in the centre and on the right, and a wide round bay on the left. At the centre, and recessed, is a three-story tower with turrets.[1]

Around the house and in the grounds are a number of structures which are listed Grade II. These are the wall and steps of the upper and middle terraces,[3][4] the wall of the lower terrace,[5] a temple with a statue of Diana,[6] the park gates, gate piers and wing walls on the north drive,[7] gate piers on the drive from Chowley Lodge,[8] an open shelter,[9] a bridge over the fishpool,[10] and a boat house.[11]

Present day

The house and estate of 6,000 acres (24 km2) were inherited in 1989 by Anthony Barbour, making him one of the largest landowners in Cheshire. He developed the estate as a centre for small businesses, restoring redundant buildings and modernising its 16 farms, thereby supporting some 800 jobs. The house contains Barbour's collection of modern art. Anthony Barbour died in 2007.[2] The estate is now owned by his wife, Diana.[12] The gardens are open to visitors by appointment in April, May and October.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1278804, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  2. ^ a b c "Anthony Barbour (Obituary)", The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group), 15 October 2007, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/15/db1501.xml, retrieved 15 October 2007 
  3. ^ "Wall and steps of upper terrace in front of Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1230012, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  4. ^ "Wall and steps of middle terrace in front of Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1229903, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  5. ^ "Wall of lower terrace in front of Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1230017, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  6. ^ "Temple with statue of Diana on south side of Chowley Drive at Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1278873, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  7. ^ "Park gates and gate piers with wing walls on North Drive to Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1278874, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  8. ^ "Gate piers on drive to Bolesworth Castle from Chowley Lodge, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1229905, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  9. ^ "Open shelter at south end of upper terrace in front of Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1229905, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  10. ^ "Bridge over north end of fishpond at Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1278690, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  11. ^ "Boat House at south end of fishpond at Bolesworth Castle, Broxton", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1278562, retrieved 1 May 2011 
  12. ^ "Beautiful Bolesworth Castle", Cheshire Life (Archant Life), http://cheshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/beautiful-bolesworth-castle-11550/, retrieved 4 July 2011 
  13. ^ Bolesworth Castle, National Gardens Scheme, http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=1551, retrieved 4 July 2011 

External links