Peckforton Castle

Peckforton Castle is a Victorian country house built to look like a medieval castle. It stands in woodland at the northern end of the Peckforton Hills, about two kilometres northwest of the village of Peckforton in Cheshire. The house was designed by Anthony Salvin in the Gothic style and completed in the middle of the 19th century for John Tollemache, a wealthy landowner and member of parliament. The castle has a gatehouse, portcullis, dry moat and large towers, giving it the appearance of a fortified home. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building. The castle has served many purposes since it was built. During the Second World War it housed physically disabled children evacuated from London. Later it became a private residence, then a film and television location, including appearances in Doctor Who and a 1991 Robin Hood movie. In 1988 it was converted into a hotel and now hosts weddings, conferences and other events. The building was badly damaged by fire in 2011 during a wedding reception. Inside, the castle has a great hall with a Minton tile floor and large stone chimney piece. The east wing contains a long gallery with oak panelling and a panelled ceiling, leading to a billiard room and drawing room. The library sits to the south, and behind the great hall is the main staircase. The circular tower houses an octagonal dining room with two fireplaces and a vaulted ceiling. Below it is a wine cellar, and on the fifth floor a room designed for playing rackets. The castle stands near the Sandstone Trail, with Beeston Castle visible on a nearby hill.