Rowton Castle
Encyclopedia
Rowton Castle, near Shrewsbury
, Shropshire
, England
, is a Grade II* listed country house
that was once the home of the Royal Normal College for the Blind before it moved to its present location in Hereford
. The house is situated in 17 acres (7 ha) of grounds about 6 miles (10 km) west of Shrewsbury. It is currently used as a hotel.
The present castle was built in the 17th Century, although a previous castle named Rowton Castle had stood on the site for several hundred years previously. The house was in the possession of the Lyster family until the death of the final person to bear that name, Lady Charlotte Lyster, in 1889. She passed the house to her nephew, Montagu Lowry Corry
, who in turn passed it on to his nephew, Colonel N. A. Lowry Curry following his death in 1903. The house's next owner, Major Lees, sold it to the Royal Normal College for the Blind in 1941. The college, which had previously been located in London, was forced to find new premises after its site, based in Upper Norwood
, was bombed during the Blitz
, then acquired by the authorities. The college used the castle itself as the accommodation block for staff and senior pupils. The building also housed the dining areas for both junior and senior pupils. Classrooms, which have since been converted into private apartments, were built to the eastern side of the building.
In 1953 a fire destroyed much of the buildings and 38 pianos and organs. The alarm was raised by one of the students, and everybody present was evacuated to safety. Training was able to continue after Henshaw's Institution for the Blind took students and staff as a temporary measure. As the college expanded it outgrew the site and bought other premises in and around Shrewsbury, then in 1978 relocated to Hereford
after finding accommodation that would enable it to consolidate its facilities into one campus.
After the college's departure the building was empty for several years until work began to convert it into a luxury hotel in 1986. The hotel was opened on 12 April 1989 and exists to the present day.
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is a Grade II* listed country house
English country house
The English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a London house. This allowed to them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country...
that was once the home of the Royal Normal College for the Blind before it moved to its present location in Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
. The house is situated in 17 acres (7 ha) of grounds about 6 miles (10 km) west of Shrewsbury. It is currently used as a hotel.
The present castle was built in the 17th Century, although a previous castle named Rowton Castle had stood on the site for several hundred years previously. The house was in the possession of the Lyster family until the death of the final person to bear that name, Lady Charlotte Lyster, in 1889. She passed the house to her nephew, Montagu Lowry Corry
Montagu Corry, 1st Baron Rowton
Montagu William Lowry-Corry, 1st Baron Rowton KCVO, CB, PC, DL , also known as "Monty," was a British philanthropist and public servant, best known for serving as Benjamin Disraeli's private secretary from 1866 until the latter's death in 1881.-Background and education:Born in London, Lowry-Corry...
, who in turn passed it on to his nephew, Colonel N. A. Lowry Curry following his death in 1903. The house's next owner, Major Lees, sold it to the Royal Normal College for the Blind in 1941. The college, which had previously been located in London, was forced to find new premises after its site, based in Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is an elevated area in south London, England within the postcode SE19. It is a residential district largely in the London Borough of Croydon although some parts extend into the London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Upper Norwood...
, was bombed during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
, then acquired by the authorities. The college used the castle itself as the accommodation block for staff and senior pupils. The building also housed the dining areas for both junior and senior pupils. Classrooms, which have since been converted into private apartments, were built to the eastern side of the building.
In 1953 a fire destroyed much of the buildings and 38 pianos and organs. The alarm was raised by one of the students, and everybody present was evacuated to safety. Training was able to continue after Henshaw's Institution for the Blind took students and staff as a temporary measure. As the college expanded it outgrew the site and bought other premises in and around Shrewsbury, then in 1978 relocated to Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
after finding accommodation that would enable it to consolidate its facilities into one campus.
After the college's departure the building was empty for several years until work began to convert it into a luxury hotel in 1986. The hotel was opened on 12 April 1989 and exists to the present day.