Macclesfield Castle facts for kids

Macclesfield Castle (also known as Buckingham Castle or Buckingham Palace) was a fortified manor house in Macclesfield, Cheshire. A fortified manor house is a large, strong house built like a small castle. John de Macclesfield started building it in 1398.

The castle was made from sandstone. It was square with parts sticking out like wings. Changes were made to the building in the 1400s. Over time, it was owned by two important families of earls. By 1585, the building was falling apart. The only part left by the 1900s was the porch. This porch was taken down in 1932. New cottages and shops were built on the site.

The Castle's Story

Building a Strong Home

Between 1392 and 1398, a man named John de Macclesfield started buying land. He was an important officer in the court of King Richard II. He also managed the king's clothes and supplies. John wanted to build a large house on this land in Macclesfield.

Building Macclesfield Castle began in 1398. In that year, and again in 1399, John asked for special permission. He wanted a licence to crenellate his new house. This meant he wanted to add battlements. Battlements are the notched walls you see on castles.

A historian named R.C. Turner thinks John asked for this because of troubles at the end of King Richard II's rule. The king died before he could say yes. Henry IV then became king.

A Special Permission

John de Macclesfield lost his important job. He returned to his home in Macclesfield. Even though he was no longer in favour, he finally got his permission in 1410. This was very unusual. John was a commoner, meaning he was not a noble. Also, his home was in Macclesfield, a town controlled by the king. It was rare for someone like him to fortify his house.

Changing Owners

John de Macclesfield died in 1422. His lands then went to his children. By 1444, Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham bought these lands. In the mid-1400s, more parts were added to the castle.

The castle was then owned by the Dukes of Buckingham. This is why it became known as Buckingham Palace or Buckingham Castle. Later, it passed to the Stanley family. They were the Earls of Derby from 1485. It is thought that King Henry VII stayed at Macclesfield Castle. This was when he visited the Earl of Derby in Macclesfield in 1496.

The Castle Falls Apart

By the late 1500s, the castle was in bad shape. In 1585, a writer named William Smith described it. He said it was a "huge place all of stone in a manner of a castle – but now gone into much decay." This means it was a big stone building like a castle, but it was falling apart.

Some parts of the castle were still used much later. From 1793 to 1811, a room in the castle was used by the local Roman Catholic church. By the 1900s, only the porch (or gateway) was left. This porch was from the time of King Henry VII. Some parts of the curtain wall also remained.

There were plans to save the porch. However, it was taken down in 1932. The land was then used to build new cottages and shops. In 1985, some dressed stone from the castle was found by accident. This stone was very worn down by weather. The site was dug up that same year. Today, the courtyard of Macclesfield Town Hall has stones from the castle's old porch.

What the Castle Looked Like

When the castle was described in 1585, it was a square building. It had parts sticking out like wings and fancy towers. We do not know if it had a great hall. This is because so little of the building is left.

Historian R.C. Turner thinks the castle was influenced by other castles. He believes it was like Bodiam Castle or Kenilworth Castle. This is because John de Macclesfield might have helped pay for those castles. He would have done this in his job managing the king's supplies.

Macclesfield Castle was built from sandstone. The parts found in 1985 were very weathered. We are not sure about the exact size of the castle. But it was probably about 128 meters (140 yards) long and 35 meters (39 yards) wide.

The porch that lasted until 1932 was on the west side. It was about 4.5 meters (15 feet) square. It was also about 7.31 meters (24 feet) high. It was made from rough sandstone blocks. The outside was covered with smooth, cut stone. It probably had a castellated parapet, which is a low wall with gaps for defense. Inside, it had a special arched ceiling. It also had a unique Tudor rose design. This shows it was built during the time of King Henry VII.