Alton Castle: Alverton: Aulton: Alverston

Irregular shaped Medieval enclosure castle defended by a ditch with the gatehouse to the south. Ditch cut out of rock.

716 Village first recorded.

1000 Castle first mentioned.

1190 c: Arrow loops in eastern wall tower.

12^th C Southern curtain wall added.

12^th C Late: Eastern tower built.

13^th C Early: Western tower and gatehouse with twin D-shaped towers built.

1170’s Built by Bertram de Verdum, (founder of Croxton Abbey) in stone, replacing the earlier timber building.

13^th-14^th C Alterations.

1642-1651 Civil War: Damaged and slighted.

1847 Gothic fantasy castle was built for the Earl of Shrewsbury on the site of the earlier Medieval castle, and designed by Pugin.

1855 Site acquired by the Sisters of Mercy and converted into a convent. The main building remained private property.

1919 The Sisters of Mercy paid £3500 for the main building.

1974 Field Investigation.

1989 The school owned by the Sisters of Mercy closed.

1994 Geophysical Survey by West Yorkshire Archaeology Service.

1995 Bought by the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

1996 Converted into a Christian Retreat centre.

2000 Geophysical Survey by Stratascan.

2002 Watching Brief by J. Goodwin, Potteries Museum Field Archaeology Unit.