The Staffordshire hill that Alton Towers rests on has historically been occupied since the very first century BCE. Around 700, a Saxon king placed a fortress atop the hill overlooking the Churnet Valley. In the 11th century, a castle was built in the nearby village of Alton, about a mile from today’s Alton Towers. The castle remained on the hill until the English Civil War. It was later rebuilt to be a family hunting lodge for the Talbot family. 

In 1801, Charles Talbot, the fifteenth earl of Shrewsbury, decided the hunting lodge was in dire need of renovation. Over the next ten years, he would hire a series of architects to design his Gothic-style home called Alton Abbey. Some believe the home reflects the Talbot family’s Roman Catholic values. In 1814, the earl and his family moved into the grand home and almost immediately began transforming the surrounding farmland into what would become Britain’s largest formal garden. The gardens flow throughout the property and down to the River Churnet. In this space, architect Robert Abraham added a cast-iron conservatory to the garden in order to complement the Gothic-revival style of the house. 

The sixteenth earl of Shrewsbury, John Talbot, continued these renovations once he took over the property. He hired architects Thomas Fradgley to double the size of the house, and Augustus Pugin to enhance the Greek revival style, and add an entrance hall, banquet hall, and other rooms. After this massive addition, the estate changed its name from Alton Abbey to Alton Towers.

While the conservatory is beautiful, it was designed with aesthetics in mind rather than to protect plants from bitter winter temperatures. The design consists of ornate domes, fantastical arches, and huge windows to let in natural light. Glazing on the roof allows for more natural light to pour in. Smooth stone columns brace the domed roof of iron and glass. The cool stone walls are simple and easily accommodate the conservatory’s windows. 

The conservatory is beautiful, rustic and almost haunting. The space shows its age but with charm and history in consideration.