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Victorian Castles
Peckforton Castle
Peckforton castle in Beeston, Cheshire is situated on an outcrop in otherwise flat plains. A short distance away is a similar outcrop surmounted by Beeston castle. One could imagine an unusual situation had once arisen here whereby opposing lords had built their castles a short distance apart and were perhaps in unremitting conflict. An interesting notion but not the case as Peckforton castle was built in the nineteenth century while Beeston is a genuine thirteenth century castle. Peckforton is certainly the more impressive of the two, built between 1844 and 1850 by John Tollemache (later to become Lord Tollemache) to the designs of the architect Anthony Salvin.
Castles. The second decline.
Sir George Gilbert Scott wrote about it, 'The monstrous practice of castle building is, unhappily, not yet extinct... the largest and most carefully and learnedly executed Gothic mansion of present day is not only a castle in name - it is not a sham fortress, such as those of twenty years back, whose frowning gateway is flanked on either side by a three foot clipped hedge, but it is a real and carefully constructed medieval fortress, capable of withstanding a siege from an Edwardian army... Now this is the very height of masquerading. the learning and skill with which the pageant has been carried out reflect the highest credit upon the architect; yet I cannot but feel it to have been a serious injury to our case, that so unreal a taste should have been imposed upon him.' This criticism came at a time when the trend for castle building was on the decline and anyone who attempted to build one had to do it well and be justified in doing so, else take the criticism.
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