Castle Park House
Encyclopedia
Castle Park House is a former country house surrounded by extensive grounds in the market town
of Frodsham
in Cheshire
, England. It is built on the site of Frodsham Castle
, and originates from the late 18th century. It was extended in the 1850s, and its gardens were laid out by Edward Kemp
. The house passed into the ownership of the local authority, and is used for a variety of functions. Its grounds are a public park.
. During this time it was leased to Captain Harry Heron.
In 1851 it was bought by Joseph Stubs of Warrington
, a manufacturer of engineers' tools. He started to develop and extend the house and outbuildings and commissioned Edward Kemp to lay out the woods and gardens, which comprised an area of more than 24 acres (97,124.6 m²). The architect for the rebuilding was probably T. M. Penson
. Its style is "reserved Italianate
". Stubs did not live to see the work completed as he died in 1861. It was bought by auction for over £9,500 (£ as of ) by Edward Abbott Wright, a Quaker cotton manufacturer from Oldham
. The house then came to be known as Castle Park. The Wrights had five children, a boy who died at the age of 14, and four girls. Edward's wife died in 1868 and Edward continued to live in the house, commuting for his business and political interests from Frodsham railway station
, until he died at the age of 83 in 1891. Following this, Edward's two unmarried daughters, Harriet and Emily continued to live in the house until the last remaining daughter, Harriet died in 1931.
Borough Council and Frodsham Parish Council.
In 2006 the house had a major refurbishment and is now used for a variety of purposes. The house is owned by Cheshire West and Chester
Council who provide one stop shop
facilities for local authority services, and adult learning centre, and for conferences. The archives of the Frodsham and District Local History Group are held in the house.
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Edward Kemp's plan was for a formal garden containing a conservatory
and plant houses to the north of the house. Beyond these were a garden yard, a stable yard, a coach house and a farm yard. To the west of these was a substantial kitchen garden. The other outbuildings included a vinery, with a heated wall, and a smoke
house for curing
bacon and ham. Joseph Stubs was a collector of rare plants and many of these were planted in what he called the American Garden. In the days of the Wright family a head gardener and seven full-time gardeners were employed and also during this time more outbuildings were constructed beyond the coach house.
.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Frodsham
Frodsham
Frodsham is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population is 8,982. It is approximately south of Runcorn, 16 miles south of Liverpool, and approximately south-west of Manchester...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It is built on the site of Frodsham Castle
Frodsham Castle
Frodsham Castle was in the market town of Frodsham, Cheshire, England .Initially it served a military purpose, it then became a manor house and a gaol...
, and originates from the late 18th century. It was extended in the 1850s, and its gardens were laid out by Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp was an English landscape architect and an author. Together with Joseph Paxton and Edward Milner, Kemp became one of the leaders in the design of parks and gardens during the mid-Victorian era in England....
. The house passed into the ownership of the local authority, and is used for a variety of functions. Its grounds are a public park.
History
The house is built on the site of Frodsham Castle which burnt down in 1654. In the late 18th century the first house on the site, Park Place, was built by Robert Wainwright Ashley, a lawyer in the town. On his death the house was inherited by his eldest son, Major Daniel Ashley II until his death in 1841. It was then inherited by his brother Reverend Thomas Ashley, but mortgaged to Philip Humberston of ChesterChester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. During this time it was leased to Captain Harry Heron.
In 1851 it was bought by Joseph Stubs of Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
, a manufacturer of engineers' tools. He started to develop and extend the house and outbuildings and commissioned Edward Kemp to lay out the woods and gardens, which comprised an area of more than 24 acres (97,124.6 m²). The architect for the rebuilding was probably T. M. Penson
Thomas Mainwaring Penson
Thomas Mainwaring Penson was an English surveyor and architect who is credited with pioneering the revival of half-timbered architecture in Chester in the 1850s....
. Its style is "reserved Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
". Stubs did not live to see the work completed as he died in 1861. It was bought by auction for over £9,500 (£ as of ) by Edward Abbott Wright, a Quaker cotton manufacturer from Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
. The house then came to be known as Castle Park. The Wrights had five children, a boy who died at the age of 14, and four girls. Edward's wife died in 1868 and Edward continued to live in the house, commuting for his business and political interests from Frodsham railway station
Frodsham railway station
Frodsham railway station serves the town of Frodsham, Cheshire, England. The station is managed by Arriva Trains Wales. The station building has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building....
, until he died at the age of 83 in 1891. Following this, Edward's two unmarried daughters, Harriet and Emily continued to live in the house until the last remaining daughter, Harriet died in 1931.
Today
The grandchildren of Edward, who were the beneficiaries of the will, presented the house and 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of ornamental grounds to the Runcorn Rural District Council (of which Frodsham was at that time a part) for the "use, enjoyment and benefit" of the inhabitants. The grounds were used as a public park and the house as the offices of the Rural District Council. After the reorganisation of 1974 the ground floor was used by Vale RoyalVale Royal
Vale Royal was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It contained the towns of Northwich, Winsford and Frodsham.-Creation:...
Borough Council and Frodsham Parish Council.
In 2006 the house had a major refurbishment and is now used for a variety of purposes. The house is owned by Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester is a unitary authority area with borough status, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire. It was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health...
Council who provide one stop shop
One stop shop
One Stop may refer to:* One Stop, the smallest store format of TescoOne Stop Shop is a term used by many local authorities in the United Kingdom to describe the facility they offer for their residents to discuss and arrange services with officers of the authority...
facilities for local authority services, and adult learning centre, and for conferences. The archives of the Frodsham and District Local History Group are held in the house.
History
Conservatory (greenhouse)
A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
and plant houses to the north of the house. Beyond these were a garden yard, a stable yard, a coach house and a farm yard. To the west of these was a substantial kitchen garden. The other outbuildings included a vinery, with a heated wall, and a smoke
Smoking (cooking technique)
Smoking is the process of flavoring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to the smoke from burning or smoldering plant materials, most often wood...
house for curing
Curing (food preservation)
Curing refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrite or sugar. Many curing processes also involve smoking, the process of flavoring, or cooking...
bacon and ham. Joseph Stubs was a collector of rare plants and many of these were planted in what he called the American Garden. In the days of the Wright family a head gardener and seven full-time gardeners were employed and also during this time more outbuildings were constructed beyond the coach house.
Today
An extensive area of parkland stretches up the hill to the west of the house. Some of the trees planted by Joseph Stubs are still present, although coming to the end of their lives. The formal garden is still there and a garden for the disabled has been constructed by Frodsham Round Table. In the park there are play facilities for children. The coach house has been developed into the Castle Park Arts Centre which has a small café and showrooms for the arts. Other outbuildings are now used as offices for small businesses. The park and gardens have been designated at Grade II in the National Register of Historic Parks and GardensNational 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...
.