Wilton Castle (Yorkshire)
Encyclopedia
Wilton Castle is an early 19th century mansion house, built on the site of a medieval castle, now converted into residential apartments, situated at Wilton
, in Redcar and Cleveland
, England. It is a Grade II listed building.
The Bulmer family
owned the manor of Wilton in the 13th century and were granted a licence to fortify their manor house
in 1210. In 1331 Ralph Bulmer was granted permission to build a castle on his manor. The estate was confiscated by the Crown following the attainder
and execution of Sir John and Lady Bulmer for high treason
arising out of their part in the Pilgrimage of Grace
in 1536. The manor was restored to their son but was lost again, by sequestration
in 1644, following Sir William Bulmers opposition to Parliament during the English Civil War
. It was again later restored but the castle had been slighted by Parliamentary forces and made uninhabitable.
The estate was purchased in about 1806 by John Lowther
of Swillington
, brother of the Earl of Lonsdale
. Lowther demolished the remains of the medieval castle and built, in about 1810, an imposing mansion house on the site, to a design by architect Sir Robert Smirke
. The Gothick design includes a fifteen bay frontage with a four storey castellated tower at the centre, flanked by castellated and gabled bays and turrets and five bayed two storey wings.
Lowther was created a Baronet
in 1824 ( see Lowther Baronets
). On the death of the third Baronet in 1894 the Baronetcy passed to his grandson but the Wilton Castle estate passed to his younger son James Lowther (1840-1904)
.
The family sold the property in 1945 to Imperial Chemical Industries
for use as offices occupied at various times by major industrialists such as Richard Beeching
and Sir John Harvey Jones. The park was developed as a golf course for ICI staff. ICI sold it in 1999. The golf club was acquired by its members and the castle was converted into residential apartments.
Wilton, Redcar and Cleveland
Wilton is a small village in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England.-Geography:It is located between Redcar and Eston at the base of Eston Hills - to the east of Eston Nab. The village is noted for its golf course and castle, Wilton...
, in Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees...
, England. It is a Grade II listed building.
The Bulmer family
Bulmer (family)
The Bulmer family were a noble family of Norman England, resident in Yorkshire. The family take their name from Bulmer, North Yorkshire. The name Bulmer comes from English "Bull mere", a lake frequented by a bull, and is an Anglicised form of Gaelic "Búir na mara" from the Celtic tribe Brigantes...
owned the manor of Wilton in the 13th century and were granted a licence to fortify their manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in 1210. In 1331 Ralph Bulmer was granted permission to build a castle on his manor. The estate was confiscated by the Crown following the attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
and execution of Sir John and Lady Bulmer for high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
arising out of their part in the Pilgrimage of Grace
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular rising in York, Yorkshire during 1536, in protest against Henry VIII's break with the Roman Catholic Church and the Dissolution of the Monasteries, as well as other specific political, social and economic grievances. It was done in action against Thomas Cromwell...
in 1536. The manor was restored to their son but was lost again, by sequestration
Sequestration (law)
Sequestration is the act of removing, separating, or seizing anything from the possession of its owner under process of law for the benefit of creditors or the state.-Etymology:...
in 1644, following Sir William Bulmers opposition to Parliament during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. It was again later restored but the castle had been slighted by Parliamentary forces and made uninhabitable.
The estate was purchased in about 1806 by John Lowther
Sir John Lowther, 1st Baronet, of Swillington
Sir John Lowther, 1st Baronet was an English landowner and Member of Parliament, the second son of Sir William Lowther, 1st Baronet....
of Swillington
Swillington
Swillington is a small village and civil parish near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. It is located east of the River Aire and surrounded by streams including Fleakingley Beck. As of 2001, Swillington had a population of about 3,530.Swillington used to be a...
, brother of the Earl of Lonsdale
Earl of Lonsdale
Earl of Lonsdale is a title that has been created twice in British history, firstly in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1784 , and then in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1807, both times for members of the Lowther family....
. Lowther demolished the remains of the medieval castle and built, in about 1810, an imposing mansion house on the site, to a design by architect Sir Robert Smirke
Robert Smirke (architect)
Sir Robert Smirke was an English architect, one of the leaders of Greek Revival architecture his best known building in that style is the British Museum, though he also designed using other architectural styles...
. The Gothick design includes a fifteen bay frontage with a four storey castellated tower at the centre, flanked by castellated and gabled bays and turrets and five bayed two storey wings.
Lowther was created a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1824 ( see Lowther Baronets
Lowther Baronets
There have been seven Baronetcies created for members of the Lowther family, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, two in the Baronetage of England, two in the Baronetage of Great Britain and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
). On the death of the third Baronet in 1894 the Baronetcy passed to his grandson but the Wilton Castle estate passed to his younger son James Lowther (1840-1904)
James Lowther (1840-1904)
James Lowther PC, PC , DL, JP was a British Conservative politician and sportsman.-Background and education:...
.
The family sold the property in 1945 to Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
for use as offices occupied at various times by major industrialists such as Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
and Sir John Harvey Jones. The park was developed as a golf course for ICI staff. ICI sold it in 1999. The golf club was acquired by its members and the castle was converted into residential apartments.
See also
- Normanby Hall
- Marske HallMarske HallMarske Hall is a 17th century former mansion house, now serving as an institutional residence, in Marske-by-the-Sea, Redcar and Cleveland, England. It has Grade I listed building status....
- Pennyman BaronetsPennyman BaronetsThere have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Pennyman family.The Baronetcy of Pennyman of Marske was created in the Baronetage of England by Charles I on 6 May 1628 for William Pennyman of Marske Hall, Marske-by-the- Sea, North Yorkshire, a Master in Chancery...
- Ormesby HallOrmesby HallOrmesby Hall is a predominantly 18th century mansion house built in the Palladian style, situated in Ormesby, near Middlesbrough, in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, in the North East of England....