Cholmondeley Castle
Encyclopedia
Cholmondeley Castle (ˈtʃʌmlɪ) is a country house in the civil parish
of Cholmondeley, Cheshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. It is surrounded by a 7500 acres (30.4 km²) estate.
. It was designed by the local architect William Turner who was directed by the Marquess to give it the appearance of "an old Gothic Castle". In 1817–1819 turrets and towers were added to give it its present castlelike appearance. An earlier house had been on the site dating from 1571. This was constructed of brick and timber framing
and had been remodelled by Sir John Vanbrugh
between 1713 and 1715.
had created gardens around the house, both kitchen gardens and orchards to provide food for the household, and also pleasure gardens. The pleasure gardens would have been formal in style as they were laid out by George London
. The ironworker Jean Tijou
produced an iron entrance gate to the gardens, but this was moved to Houghton Hall
in Norfolk
by the 4th Earl
. John van Nost
designed a fountain for the garden. The garden also contained a bowling green
and an aviary
. The 4th Earl brought in William Emes
to redesign the garden who, according to the fashion of the day, buried London's work under a landscape park
. The 4th Earl also employed John Webb, a student of Emes, who probably designed the terrace around the house. Around this time the Temple Garden was created for the Earl's first daughter, later Lady Charlotte Seymour. During the 20th century, the 6th Marquess and his wife played a large part in restoring and developing the gardens.
The 6th marquis died at Cholmondeley Castle in 1990. Lavinia, the Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley, aged 92, lives in Cholmondeley Castle.
formed two infantry battalions and many men were assigned to the Royal Air Force. Some 500 men who refused to accept the authority of President Beneš
, were expelled from the Czechoslovak forces and were assigned to the British Pioneer Corps. On 28th September 1940 a party was held for local people on St Vaclav (St Wenceslas) Day when a stone was erected that still stands in the grounds of the house. Some men died whilst stationed at Cholmondeley and were buried with Czechoslovak military stones in nearby graveyards in Cheshire and Shropshire.
Around mid October of 1940, the camp moved to Warwickshire where the Czechoslovak Army took up locations in and around Leamington Spa.
To this day, the local Czechoslovak community gather for an annual memorial service on the first Sunday in July. In July 1990, the then recent fall of communism, allowed a great gathering when Czechoslovak and British veterans gathered at Cholmondeley for the 50th anniversary of their arrival in England. At this time a memorial stone was also unveiled in Chester Cathedral to thank the people of Cheshire for their hospitality.
Another wartime role of Cholmondeley Castle was as a Royal Navy Auxiliary Hospital, treating cases of good morale, who were suffering from nervous breakdown usually as the result of combat stresses.
at Grade II. Also in the grounds is the ancient chapel of St Nicholas
. The grounds and chapel are open to the public at advertised times but the castle is not open to the public.
It has recently become a hovercraft race track and will be holding the fourth round of the national hovercraft championship on the 17th and 18th of July 2010.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Cholmondeley, Cheshire
Cholmondeley, Cheshire
Cholmondeley is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, which lies to the north east of Malpas and to the west of Nantwich. It includes the small settlements of Croxton Green and Dowse Green , with a total population of a little...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building. It is surrounded by a 7500 acres (30.4 km²) estate.
House
The present house was built between 1801 and 1804 by George Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of CholmondeleyGeorge Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley
George James Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley KG, GCH, PC , styled Viscount Malpas between 1764 and 1770 and known as The Earl of Cholmondeley between 1770 and 1815, was a British peer and politician.-Background and education:...
. It was designed by the local architect William Turner who was directed by the Marquess to give it the appearance of "an old Gothic Castle". In 1817–1819 turrets and towers were added to give it its present castlelike appearance. An earlier house had been on the site dating from 1571. This was constructed of brick and timber framing
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
and had been remodelled by Sir John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse and The Provoked Wife , which have become enduring stage favourites...
between 1713 and 1715.
Gardens and grounds
In the 18th century Hugh Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of CholmondeleyHugh Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Cholmondeley
Hugh Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Cholmondeley, PC , styled The Honourable from birth until 1681 and then known as Viscount Cholmondeley to 1706, was an English peer and politician....
had created gardens around the house, both kitchen gardens and orchards to provide food for the household, and also pleasure gardens. The pleasure gardens would have been formal in style as they were laid out by George London
George London (landscape architect)
George London was an English nurseryman and garden designer. He aspired to the baroque style and worked on the gardens at Hampton Court, Melbourne Hall and Wimpole Hall....
. The ironworker Jean Tijou
Jean Tijou
Jean Tijou was a French Huguenot ironworker. He is known solely through his work in England, where he worked on several of the key English Baroque buildings. He arrived in England in c.1689 and enjoyed the patronage of William and Mary for whom he made gates and railings for Hampton Court Palace....
produced an iron entrance gate to the gardens, but this was moved to Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. It was built for the de facto first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, and it is a key building in the history of Palladian architecture in England...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
by the 4th Earl
George Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley
George James Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley KG, GCH, PC , styled Viscount Malpas between 1764 and 1770 and known as The Earl of Cholmondeley between 1770 and 1815, was a British peer and politician.-Background and education:...
. John van Nost
John Nost
John Nost was a Flemish sculptor, from Mechelen. He was employed by Arnold Quellin, and married his widow. He moved to England at the end of the seventeenth century, and set up business in Haymarket....
designed a fountain for the garden. The garden also contained a bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
and an aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
. The 4th Earl brought in William Emes
William Emes
-Biography:Details of his early life are not known but in 1756 he was appointed head gardener to Sir Nathaniel Curzon at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. He left this post in 1760 when Robert Adam was given responsibility for the entire management of the grounds. During his time at Kedleston he had...
to redesign the garden who, according to the fashion of the day, buried London's work under a landscape park
Landscape garden
The term landscape garden is often used to describe the English garden design style characteristic of the eighteenth century, that swept the Continent replacing the formal Renaissance garden and Garden à la française models. The work of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown is particularly influential.The...
. The 4th Earl also employed John Webb, a student of Emes, who probably designed the terrace around the house. Around this time the Temple Garden was created for the Earl's first daughter, later Lady Charlotte Seymour. During the 20th century, the 6th Marquess and his wife played a large part in restoring and developing the gardens.
The 6th marquis died at Cholmondeley Castle in 1990. Lavinia, the Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley, aged 92, lives in Cholmondeley Castle.
Second World War
Cholmondley Castle gardens served as the first camp for the Free Czechoslovak forces in exile during 7th July to mid October 1940, about 4,000 Czechoslovak troops camped at the nearby park. Most had come by ship from France, but they were joined by about 300 troops already in England. The Czechoslovak government-in-exileCzechoslovak government-in-exile
The Czechoslovak government-in-exile was an informal title conferred upon the Czechoslovak National Liberation Committee, initially by British diplomatic recognition. The name came to be used by other World War II Allies as they subsequently recognized it...
formed two infantry battalions and many men were assigned to the Royal Air Force. Some 500 men who refused to accept the authority of President Beneš
Edvard Beneš
Edvard Beneš was a leader of the Czechoslovak independence movement, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the second President of Czechoslovakia. He was known to be a skilled diplomat.- Youth :...
, were expelled from the Czechoslovak forces and were assigned to the British Pioneer Corps. On 28th September 1940 a party was held for local people on St Vaclav (St Wenceslas) Day when a stone was erected that still stands in the grounds of the house. Some men died whilst stationed at Cholmondeley and were buried with Czechoslovak military stones in nearby graveyards in Cheshire and Shropshire.
Around mid October of 1940, the camp moved to Warwickshire where the Czechoslovak Army took up locations in and around Leamington Spa.
To this day, the local Czechoslovak community gather for an annual memorial service on the first Sunday in July. In July 1990, the then recent fall of communism, allowed a great gathering when Czechoslovak and British veterans gathered at Cholmondeley for the 50th anniversary of their arrival in England. At this time a memorial stone was also unveiled in Chester Cathedral to thank the people of Cheshire for their hospitality.
Another wartime role of Cholmondeley Castle was as a Royal Navy Auxiliary Hospital, treating cases of good morale, who were suffering from nervous breakdown usually as the result of combat stresses.
Present day
The grounds of the castle now cover some 5000 acres (20 km²) and include two lakes. They are included in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in EnglandNational Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
In England, the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by English Heritage under the provisions of the National...
at Grade II. Also in the grounds is the ancient chapel of St Nicholas
St Nicholas' Chapel, Cholmondeley
St Nicholas' Chapel, Cholmondeley is a private chapel in the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, England, the ancient seat of the Marquess of Cholmondeley, hereditary Lord Great Chamberlain of England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.-History:This...
. The grounds and chapel are open to the public at advertised times but the castle is not open to the public.
It has recently become a hovercraft race track and will be holding the fourth round of the national hovercraft championship on the 17th and 18th of July 2010.