Peckforton Castle

Peckforton Castle is a mid-19th-century Gothic Revival country house on Peckforton Hill in Cheshire, England, designed to resemble a medieval fortress. It was constructed in sandstone and is a prominent landmark in the local countryside.

The site presents battlemented walls, a central keep-like block and formal interiors that reflect Victorian interpretations of medieval architecture; visitors commonly experience the property as a country hotel and event venue. The elevated hilltop position provides views across surrounding Cheshire farmland and is often photographed for its dramatic silhouette.

Commissioned by John Tollemache and built between the 1840s and 1850s, the castle was designed by architect Anthony Salvin in a deliberate medieval style rather than as a true defensive fortress. Over time the house was adapted for hospitality and public use while retaining its architectural character.

Peckforton Castle stands on Peckforton Hill near the village of Peckforton in Cheshire, approximately a short drive from Tarporley and within the rural landscape of northwest England.

• Date and use: Built in the mid-19th century in the Gothic Revival style for John Tollemache and designed by architect Anthony Salvin, the castle is now used as a hotel and wedding venue.

What to See #

• Main castle building: Main keep and great hall form the core of the Gothic Revival country house built in the mid 19th century; the structure incorporates crenellated curtain walls and a gatehouse. The house was constructed between 1844 and 1851 in sandstone.
• Grounds and setting: Grounds and hilltop setting include landscaped parkland on Peckforton Hill, providing the castle with elevated views across rural Cheshire and used as hotel grounds today.