Castle Park House is a former
country house
image:Blenheim - Blenheim Palace - 20210417125239.jpg, 300px, Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire
An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a Townhou ...
surrounded by extensive grounds in the
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...
of
Frodsham
Frodsham is a market town, civil parish, and electoral ward in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population in 2021 was 9,300. It is south of Liverpool and southwest of Man ...
in Cheshire, England. It is reputedly built on the site of
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. After being damaged in the Civil War it was replaced by new house, Park Place.
Location
...
, and originates from the late 18th century. It was extended in the 1850s, and its gardens were laid out by
Edward Kemp. The house and most of the associated park land is held subject to the terms of a charitable trust - the Castle Park Trust. Cheshire West and Chester Council is the sole trustee of this trust. That council owns the 'top field' outright. The house and park land are used for a variety of functions. The house and park land are 'listed' in other words given special protection in planning law.
House
History
The house is reputedly 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
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...
. During this time it was leased to Captain Harry Heron.
In 1851 it was bought by Joseph Stubs of
Warrington
Warrington () is an industrial town in the Borough of Warrington, borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and was Historic counties of England, historically part of Lancashire. It is east o ...
, 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 .
The architect for the rebuilding was probably
T. M. Penson. Its style is "reserved
Italianate
The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century It ...
". Stubs did not live to see the work completed as he died in 1861. It was bought by auction for over £9,500 (equivalent to £ in ) by Edward Abbott Wright, a
Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...
cotton manufacturer from
Oldham
Oldham is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers River Irk, Irk and River Medlock, Medlock, southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative cent ...
. 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 serves the town of Frodsham, Cheshire, England. The station is managed by Transport for Wales Rail, Transport for Wales. It was opened along with the line in 1850 and the station building is recorded in the National Her ...
, 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 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 Royal
Vale Royal was, from 1974 to 2009, a Non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Cheshire, England. It contained the towns of Northwich, Winsford and Frodsham.
History
The ...
Borough Council and Frodsham Parish Council.
In 2006 the house and park land underwent major refurbishment - much of the funding coming from the Heritage Lottery fund and the then Vale Royal District Council. The house and much of the park land is held by
Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Cheshire, England. It was established on 1 April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to l ...
Council under the terms of a charitable trust although the council owns the Top Field outright.
The archives of the Frodsham and District Local History Group are held in the house.
Outbuildings and gardens
History
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
Smoke is an aerosol (a suspension of airborne particulates and gases) emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwante ...
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.
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 Gardens #REDIRECT Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England #REDIRECT Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England
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