The Castle

The Castle is a country house built around 1765 by William Newton for Rowland Burdon I. It was possibly altered and given Gothick details by Sir John Soane around 1780. Later additions include a palmhouse from 1863 designed by F.R. Hicks and a north wing added in 1893. The main block is constructed from ashlar Hesleden limestone with a slate roof, while the rear is made of rubble. The palmhouse is prefabricated concrete and features a classical style with Gothick details.

The building has a symmetrical three-storey, seven-bay front, with a canted three-bay center that includes a single-storey six-bay palmhouse with half-bay ends on the ground floor. The palmhouse has a central Tudor-arched entrance, flanking four-light mullioned-and-transomed windows, an embattled parapet with pinnacles, and a hipped glass roof. The main block features replaced 12-pane sashes and replaced 6-pane sashes on the third storey, with windows that have depressed-pointed heads and hoodmoulds. The embattled parapet has slightly projecting square corner turrets, and the low-pitched hipped roof has ridge chimneys. The five-bay returns and rear display similar architectural details.

The three-storey, two-bay north wing has ground-floor bay windows with embattled parapets and three-light mullioned windows above, along with an eaves cornice, parapet, and hipped slate roof.

Inside, the house features neo-classical details. The central hall leads to an oval saloon, which has a second-floor gallery running around three sides, supported on the fourth side by a screen of Ionic columns and end pilasters, with a domed roof light above. Several mid-18th century chimneypieces and other contemporary fittings are present.

20th-century additions are not of special interest.