Walton Castle
Encyclopedia
Walton Castle is a 17th Century, Grade II listed castle set upon a hill in Clevedon
, North Somerset
, on the site of an earlier Iron Age
hill fort.
records the site as belonging to "Gunni The Dane", however the structure that occupies the site was built sometime between 1615 and 1620. The castle was designed as a hunting lodge
for Lord Poulett
, a Somerset MP
. The English Civil War
saw the decline of Poulett's fortunes, and by 1791 the castle was derelict and being used as a dairy
by a local farmer.
In the early 19th century, the manor of Walton in Gordano
, including Walton Castle was bought by Philip John Miles who also held properties and extensive estates elsewhere including Kings Weston House
, Leigh Court
, Cardigan Priory and Underdown in Ledbury, Herefordshire, whence his family had originally come.
The Castle passed through the Miles
family by descent and in 1975, the castle's owner, Sir William Miles, the 6th Baronet, offered to give the ruin to the public if some money could be found to preserve it. The estimate for this rose from £6,000 to £46,000 and the plan fell through, as did a plan to set up a trust.
In 1984, the castle was purchased by Margarita Hamilton, who made further alterations to the Castle, though some of these had to be reinstated due to problems with unauthorised removal of crenellations on this listed building. Hamilton regularly hosted charity events at the Castle in the late 1990s but sold in the face of complaints from nearby residents. She eventually sold to South African Stephen Lumb for £3.5million. In 2009 comedian Bill Bailey
was guest of honour at an event designed to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust
.
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
, North Somerset
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
, on the site of an earlier Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort.
History
The Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
records the site as belonging to "Gunni The Dane", however the structure that occupies the site was built sometime between 1615 and 1620. The castle was designed as a hunting lodge
Hunting and shooting in the United Kingdom
Hunting and shooting have been practised for many centuries in the United Kingdom and, in some areas, are a major part of British rural culture...
for Lord Poulett
Earl Poulett
Earl Poulett was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1706 for John Poulett, 4th Baron Poulett. The Poulett family descended from Sir Anthony Poulett, who served as Governor of Jersey and as Captain of the Guard to Queen Elizabeth I. His eldest son Sir John Poulett represented...
, a Somerset MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. The English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
saw the decline of Poulett's fortunes, and by 1791 the castle was derelict and being used as a dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
by a local farmer.
In the early 19th century, the manor of Walton in Gordano
Walton in Gordano
Walton in Gordano is a village and civil parish in North Somerset, England. It is situated in a small valley at the side of the south-western end of the Gordano Valley, about a mile from Clevedon...
, including Walton Castle was bought by Philip John Miles who also held properties and extensive estates elsewhere including Kings Weston House
Kings Weston House
Kings Weston House is a historic building in Kings Weston Lane, Kingsweston, Bristol, England.It was built between 1710 and 1725 was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for Edward Southwell on the site of an earlier Tudor house, and remodelled 1763 by Robert Mylne. A significant architectural feature is...
, Leigh Court
Leigh Court
Leigh Court is a country house which is a Grade II* listed building in Abbots Leigh, Somerset, England.The manor of Leigh at the time of the Norman Conquest belonged to the lordship of Bedminster but William the Conqueror awarded it to the Bishop of Coutances...
, Cardigan Priory and Underdown in Ledbury, Herefordshire, whence his family had originally come.
The Castle passed through the Miles
Miles Baronets
The Miles Baronetcy, of Leigh Court in the County of Somerset, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 19 April 1859 for the banker and Conservative politician William Miles...
family by descent and in 1975, the castle's owner, Sir William Miles, the 6th Baronet, offered to give the ruin to the public if some money could be found to preserve it. The estimate for this rose from £6,000 to £46,000 and the plan fell through, as did a plan to set up a trust.
Restoration
In 1979, Sir William Miles's daughter and his son-in-law, Martin Sessions-Hodge, spent £100,000 restoring the ruin and moved in. They spent over a year turning it into a five-bedroom, three-bathroom house but, in 1984, they sold, as the costs and impracticalities of such a building were troublesome for a young family with three children.In 1984, the castle was purchased by Margarita Hamilton, who made further alterations to the Castle, though some of these had to be reinstated due to problems with unauthorised removal of crenellations on this listed building. Hamilton regularly hosted charity events at the Castle in the late 1990s but sold in the face of complaints from nearby residents. She eventually sold to South African Stephen Lumb for £3.5million. In 2009 comedian Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
was guest of honour at an event designed to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust
Teenage Cancer Trust
Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity that focuses on the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer, leukaemia, Hodgkin’s and related diseases by providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. The units are dedicated areas for teenage patients, who are involved in their concept and creation...
.
See also
- Clevedon CourtClevedon CourtClevedon Court is a manor house on Court Hill in Clevedon, North Somerset, England, dating from the early fourteenth century. It is now owned by the National Trust. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.-History:...
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- List of castles in England
- List of hill forts and ancient settlements in Somerset