"ALTON TOWERS", FARLEY, STAFFORDSHIRE. BUILT 1800...............STILL STANDING 2007!

HISTORY & INTRODUCTION.........

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER VISITED BRITAIN'S MOST WELL KNOWN AMUSEMENT PARK, YOU MIGHT JUST THINK THAT ALL THERE IS ARE THE RIDES, OPENED IN THE 1970's. DIG A LITTLE DEEPER HOWEVER, AND YOU'LL DISCOVER THAT ALTON TOWERS DATES BACK MUCH, MUCH FURTHER. IN THE 8th. CENTURY, THE SITE WAS THE FORTRESS OF CEOLRED, KING OF MERCIA & PRIOR TO THAT THERE WAS AN IRON AGE FORT ON THE SITE. THE EARLS OF SHREWSBURY OCCUPIED THE CASTLE FROM 1412, AND REMAINED IN THE FAMILY UNTIL 1923. THE FIRST EARL OF SHREWSBURY FOUGHT ALONG SIDE KING HENRY THE 5th. IT WAS THE 15th. EARL, CHARLES TALBOT, WHO COMMISSIONED THE AMAZING GARDENS AROUND THE TOWERS, THE TWO PRINCIPAL GARDEN ARCHITECTS BEING THOMAS ALLASON & ROBERT ABRAHAMS. THE GARDENS WERE FIRST OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1860. THE GRAND CONSERVATORIES, OR GLASSHOUSES, ARE 300 FEET ACROSS FROM END TO END, AND ARE CONSTRUCTED FROM IRON & PLATE GLASS. THE GLASSHOUSES WERE DESIGNED & BUILT BY ROBERT ABRAHAMS. ANOTHER STRIKING FEATURE WITHIN THE HEART OF THE GARDEN VALLEY IS THE CHINESE PAGODA FOUNTAIN, AND WAS DESIGNED TO SPRAY WATER UP TO 90 FEET ABOVE THE TREES! RETURNING TO THE TOWERS, WHAT YOU SEE TODAY IS A RESULT OF OVER 200 YEARS OF RE-BUILDING & REMODELLING WORKS, STARTING IN 1800. BEFORE THIS, THE HOUSE & ESTATE WAS CALLED ALVETON LODGE. MAJOR WORK ON THE HOUSE BEGAN IN 1811, NOW RENAMED ALTON ABBEY. SOME PARTS OF ALVETON LODGE REMAIN TODAY, BLENDED INTO THE LATER. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WORKS WERE CARRIED OUT IN 1839, WHEN AUGUSTUS WELBY NORTHMORE PUGIN, BEGAN WORKING FOR THE EARL. IF HIS NAME, OR PERHAPS THE STYLE OF ALTON TOWERS SEEMS FAMILIAR, THIS IS BECAUSE HE ALSO WAS A MAIN FIGURE INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER (THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT). NO DOUBT THAT THE TOWERS HAVE ENTERTAINED MANY FAMOUS GUESTS & VISITORS, BUT NOW STANDS MOSTLY EMPTY & DERELICT, STRIPPED OF IT'S INTERIOR WHEN SOLD-OFF IN THE 1920's. TO SEE WHAT'S LEFT, PLEASE LOOK!