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At the northern end of the Peckforton ridge stands the grade-I-listed Peckforton Castle (SJ533580), a Victorian replica of a medieval castle designed by Anthony Salvin in 1844–50 for John Tollemache.[6][13] Built around a walled courtyard with battlements and towers, the castle stands opposite the genuinely medieval Beeston Castle, and is surrounded by a dry moat.[13] George Gilbert Scott called it "the very height of masquerading".[6] Uninhabited since the Second World War, the castle has been used as a film and television location, and as a venue for civil weddings and live-action fantasy role playing.[14][15] As of 2008, it is an hotel.[15]
Also by Salvin are the castle's small private chapel and the gatehouse on Stone House Lane. Both, like the castle, are in rock-faced stone. The gatehouse consists of an archway and circular turret with a two-storey lodge attached. Both buildings are listed at grade II*.[16][17]
[edit] Other landmarks
[edit] Elephant and castle carving
Elephant and castle carving
A red sandstone carving depicting an elephant bearing a castle stands in a garden on Stone House Lane in Peckforton village. It dates from around 1859 and is listed at grade II.[18][19] It was carved by John or William Watson, a local stonemason then working on Peckforton Castle who also carved stone lions now at Spurstow and Tattenhall.[18][19] The elephant and the castle are each carved from a single piece of stone, which derives from the same quarry as Peckforton Castle. The elephant has a tasselled saddle, supporting the castle which has three tiers, with a turretted gatehouse and a keep with turrets at the corner. Some of the castle windows are glazed.[18][19]
The original purpose of the carving is unclear. The device formed part of the crest of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers and is often associated with public houses, but there has never been a pub called The Elephant and the Castle in Peckforton.[20] An elephant also appears in the arms of the Corbett family, local landowners before 1626.[19] According to one source, the carving was originally intended as a beehive, although there is no evidence it has ever been used as one.[19]
[edit] Listed buildings
Peckforton has a diverse collection of listed buildings. Probably the earliest remaining buildings in the civil parish are Manor Farm Cottage and Yew Tree Cottage, grade-II-listed timber-framed cottages dating from the early 17th century.[21] Black and White Cottage on Stone House Lane is a single-storey, timber-framed, thatched cottage dating from the late 17th century with an attached byre under the same roof; the cottage is listed at grade II* for its unusually well-preserved interior.[22]
Other black-and-white cottages include Garden Cottage and Hillside Cottage in the village, and Hill Lane Cottage on Hill Lane.[23][24][25] Rock Cottage is unusual in being constructed in sandstone, while Smithy Cottage is a timber-framed cottage infilled with a mixture of brick and sandstone.[26][27] On Peckforton Gap in the south of the civil parish stands The Gap, another stone cottage.[28] All date from the late 17th century and are listed at grade II.
Fountain Cottages, part of the Peckforton Estate
To the east of the village on Peckforton Hall Lane stands Peckforton Hall (SJ545565), a grade-II*-listed farmhouse dating from the late 17th century. In red brick with a slate roof, the hall has twin gabled bays with a later ungabled wing.[29] The nearby former farm building of the same date is timber-framed with a mixture of stone, brick and oak boarding; it is also listed at grade II.[30]
Several former Peckforton Estate cottages, built for John Tollemache in around 1860, are listed at grade II. Constructed in red or brown brick, they typically have a single storey with an attic and feature lozenge windows and prominent chimney stacks. Examples include Fountain Cottages, Green Cottage and Mill Beck Cottage.[31][32]
Manor Farm (SJ540564) stands on Peckforton Hall Lane at the east of the village and is typical of farmhouses built for the Peckforton Estate. The farmhouse dates from around 1870 and is in red brick with three bays, lozenge windows and timber studding to the gables. Both the farmhouse and the adjacent farm building of the same date are listed at grade II.[33][34] Hillside Farm (SJ533556) on Stone House Lane south of the village is another former estate farm, also dating from 1870. The farm house and adjacent farm building are grade II listed.[35][36]
[edit] References
- , a b Neighbourhood Statistics: Peckforton CP (accessed 12 August 2007)
- , Phillips ADM, Phillips CB. A New Historical Atlas of Cheshire, p. 19 (Cheshire County Council; 2002) (ISBN 0 904532 46 1)
- , Morgan P, ed. Domesday Book: Cheshire, section 2, paragraph 28 (Phillimore; 1978) (ISBN 0 85033 139 0)
- , a b Genuki: Peckforton (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , a b Peckforton Hills Local Heritage: Peckforton Castle (accessed 11 March 2008)
- , a b c Pevsner N, Hubbard E. The Buildings of England: Cheshire, pp. 300–302 (Penguin Books; 1971) (ISBN 0 14 071042 6)
- , Robinson JM. A Guide to the Country Houses of the North-West, pp. 56–7 (Constable; 1991) (ISBN 0 09 469920 8)
- , Durdey R (2007–2008) John Tollemache and his castle. Cheshire History 47: 75–87
- , Anon. Castles and cottages: The view from the estates. Sandstone News (June 2005) Downloaded at Sandstone News (accessed 11 March 2008)
- , a b c Cheshire County Council: Interactive Mapping: Peckforton (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Natural England: Nature on the Map (search for "Peckforton Woods", site code 1002189) (accessed 13 February 2008)
- , Borough of Crewe & Nantwich: Nature Conservation Sites (accessed 14 February 2008)
- , a b Images of England: Peckforton Castle (accessed 13 February 2008)
- , IMDb: Titles with locations including Peckforton Castle, Peckforton, Cheshire, England, UK (accessed 15 March 2008)
- , a b Peckforton Castle: History (accessed 15 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Chapel in the ward of Peckforton Castle (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Entrance Lodge South-East of Peckforton Castle (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , a b c Images of England: Stone elephant and castle in garden of Elephant and Castle Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , a b c d e Bamford P. Cheshire Curiosities, p. 90 (Dovecote Press; 1992) (ISBN 0 946159 96 3)
- , Frith F, Nicholle D. Cheshire Living Memories (Frith Book Co.; 2004) (ISBN 1859376754). Quoted in Francis Frith: Peckforton photos (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Manor Farm Cottage and Yew Tree Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Black and White Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Garden Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Hillside Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Hill Lane Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Rock Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Smithy Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: The Gap (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Peckforton Hall (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Farm building south-east of Peckforton Hall (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Fountain Cottages (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Green Cottage and Mill Beck Cottage (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Manor Farm House (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Farm buildings east of Manor Farm House (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Hillside Farm House (accessed 10 March 2008)
- , Images of England: Farm building north of Hillside Farm House (accessed 10 March 2008)
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[edit] External links
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