Description:The Armoury Tower and main entrance to Alton Towers. On the right is the Chapel. Alton Towers was the home of the Talbot family, Earls of Shrewsbury. It was built between about 1810 and 1852. This tower formed a new entrance to the house and was built in 1829-30. The Armoury originally housed the Earls' collections of arms and armour.
The gardens at Alton Towers re-opened to the public after World War II in 1952. During the 1960s, under the management of Denis and Anthony Bagshaw, Alton Towers became an increasingly popular visitor attraction. In 1973 John Broome married Denis Bagshaw's daughter and soon after became the majority shareholder. In 1980 he began introducing the rides for which Alton Towers is now famous.