User:Dvprknsn/Dobroyd Castle

Dobroyd Castle is a former mill owner's mansion built 1866-1869 in the town of Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England.

History

Construction

19th Century Todmorden was a booming successful cotton town. And it is in this setting that a member of the highly successful mill owning family of Fieldens became besotted with a local weaver. The rich industrialist was John Fielden (Junior) and he fell in love with local worker, Ruth Stansfield and asked her to be his wife. It is said that her reply was that she would marry him if he built her a castle on a hill. The Couple Married in 1857 and Fielden had the castle designed and built from 1866-1869 by prestigious architect John Gibson at a cost of £71,589.

The Fieldens

John and Ruth lived in the castle but became progressively distant and estranged, a swiss chalet was built in the valley bottom and it is said that she became an alcoholic. Ruth Died in 1877 aged 50 just 8 years after the castle's completion. John Died in the castle in 1893 aged 77. After his death the Castle stayed in the Fielden family but was used infrequently and was eventually sold for £10,000

Home Office Approved School 1942-1979

From 1942 the Home Office used the castle as a place for 15 to 18 year old males to learn manual skills such as building or carpentry alongside the rest of their curriculum.

The Castle School 1979-1989

After a 3 month closure in 1979 the castle reopened as the privately run Castle School. 20 boys with emotional and behavioural problems were educated there.

Losang Dragpa Centre 1995-2007

In 1995 Buddists of the sometimes controversial New Kadampa Tradition bought the castle for £320,000 and the building became the Losang Dragpa Centre. In 2007 it was announced that the Buddhists were leaving the castle although at least some remained there until 2009

Robinwood Activity Centre Ltd. 2009-Present

Robinwood Activity Centre Acquired castle and grounds for £2.2 million in 2008 and spent from September of that year until the following March transforming the castle into an activity centre. The company dug a lake, for canoeing and raft building, 2 large zip wire towers 2 giant swings, along with problem solving and teamwork activities within the grounds. The former sports hall was renovated and divided into an archery room, 2 trapeze rooms, 2 crate stacking rooms and 2 climbing rooms.

The Building

The 66 room Building is Grade II* listed. It contains four intricate stone Tympana carved from Caen stone. The Four carvings depict different images associated with the cotton industry from which the Fielden's family fortune came. The first carving shows enslaved African people picking cotton in America, the next shows a port where a cargo of cotton bales are to be loaded onto a ship, a third typmanum shows the invention of the Water frame and the last shows women at a weaving loom and the finished cloth.

The Grounds and Ancillary Buildings

The Stables

The Large Stables (Grade II* Listed) are currently derelict.

The Workshop

A workshop was added in the castle's former use as a school.

The Sports Hall

Also added in the castle's time as a school, the sports hall was renovated and partitioned to meet the needs of the site's new role as an activity centre.

The Accommodation Blocks

3 Accommodation blocks are sited next to the castle and these too date back to the site's use as a school.

External links

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