Caverswall Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caverswall Castle |
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| Caverswall, Staffordshire, England | |
Caverswall Castle, 1845
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 Caverswall Castle
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| Coordinates | 52°58′57″N 2°04′33″W / 52.9825°N 2.0759°W |
| Type | Mansion, built within older castle |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Private ownership |
| Condition | requires substantial renovation |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Stone |
Caverswall Castle is a special private home in Caverswall, Staffordshire, England. It looks like a castle but was mostly built in the early 1600s. It stands on the old foundations and inside the walls of a much older castle from the 1200s. This building is very important, listed as a Grade I building. It's quite large, covering about 2,030 square yards (1,700 square meters).
Contents
The Castle's Long Story
Early Beginnings: A Medieval Fortress
Long ago, the land of Caverswall was owned by the Caverswall family. Around 1275, they received special permission to add defenses to their manor house. This meant they could build a proper castle!
The medieval castle was surrounded by a moat (a water-filled ditch). It was shaped like a rectangle with four towers at the corners. It also had a strong central tower, called a keep, inside its main outer walls.
New Owners and Changes
In the 1400s, the Montgomery family took over the castle. Several members of this family became important local officials, known as the High Sheriff of Staffordshire.
During the English Civil War in the 1600s, soldiers fighting for Parliament used the castle. By the end of the 1500s, the old castle was quite damaged and not well cared for.
Building the Mansion
In 1615, a wealthy wool merchant named Matthew Cradock bought the neglected castle. He was also the first mayor of Stafford. Matthew decided to build a new, grand house. He kept the old castle walls but built the mansion inside them. People say famous architects like Robert Smythson or John Smythson designed it.
The new house has three floors and large stone windows. It also has a decorative top edge that looks like castle battlements.
A Home for Many Families
After Matthew Cradock's family line ended, the castle was sold in 1655 to William Joliffe. Over the years, Caverswall Castle had many different owners.
In 1811, a group of Benedictine nuns lived there as a nunnery. They sold it in 1853 and moved to Oulton Abbey. Later, in the 1880s, the famous Wedgwood family (known for their pottery) rented the castle.
In 1891, W.E. Bowers bought the castle. He did a lot of work to fix it up and make it even better.
More Recent Times
After W.E. Bowers, the castle was owned by different religious groups. The Sisters of the Holy Ghost bought it in 1933, and then the Daughters of the House of Mary in 1965. When they left in 1977, parts of the castle were sold off.
In 2006, a property developer named Robin MacDonald bought the castle. He spent a lot of money making it beautiful again. Since the late 1970s, there have been many ideas about how the castle could be used, like for businesses. However, many of these ideas have not been approved by the local authorities.
The castle has been for sale since 2019. In 2020, plans to use it as a small hotel or for group visits (like schools) were not approved. This means the castle's owners have faced challenges in allowing visitors or holding events there.
