Description:The first castle, a medieval structure was built by Bertram de Verdun in 1175. Part of one of the towers remains in the forecourt of the later nineteenth century building. The sixteenth Earl of Shrewsbury commissioned Pugin to design the current castle. It was begun in 1847, and when finished shortly before the earl's death in 1852 it was a hugely impressive sight, standing four storeys high with three towers and a chapel. The chapel is by far the centrepiece of the building, with its roof of coloured tiles, inspired by Continental design, and its polygonal apse. In close proximity to the castle is the Hospital of St. John, another Pugin commission, begun several years earlier. Of the many projects that Pugin was responsible for, this hospital and St. Giles R.C. Church in Cheadle were the two that he was most proud of.
When this photograph was taken, the castle was being used as a Catholic preparatory boys' school.