Hawkstone Park

Useful Information

Location:	Weston-under-Redcastle, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 5JY. Shropshire. 18 km northeast of Shrewsbury, between Shrewsbury and Whitchurch. M6 exit Stooke-on-Trent, A53 to Whitchurch, A49 towards Shrewsbury. M54/A6 to Shrewsbury, A49 towards Whitchurch. (52.8558844, -2.6317061)
Open:	FEB to OCT, Fri, Sat, Sun 10-15, gates close 17. During Shropshire School Holidays daily 10-15, gates close 17. [2024]
Fee:	Adults GBP 9.50, Children (0-4) free. Annual Pass GBP 28.50. [2024]
Classification:	Grotto Rock Mine
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Graham Phillips, Martin Keatman (1993): King Arthur: the True Story, Paperback, 224 pages, Arrow; ISBN: 0099296810 amazon.com Harriet Crawford (1979): Subterranean Britain, Aspects of Underground Archaeology. John Baker, London, 201 pp numerous illus. pp 183-185
Address:	Hawkstone Park Follies, Weston-under-Redcastle, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 5JY, Tel: +44-1948-841777. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1227	Henry de Audley, a favourite of Henry III, purchased this area and built Red Castle.
1737	Sir Rowland Hill started to buy the castle and ground in three portions.
1783	his son, Sir Richard Hill became owner and built most of the antiquities and follies.
1790's	grotto beautifully decorated with shells, fossils and other petrifications by the two Miss Hills which took three years.
01-DEC-1986	listed Grade I in Historic England’s Register of Parks and Gardens.
16-SEP-1987	listed on the National Heritage List for England.
1990	Hawkstone Park acquisitioned by new owners and restored.
1993	reopened to the public.

Description

Hawkstone Park, also known as Hawkstone Follies or simply Follies, is a bizarre place, a 40 hectare park with woodland, caves and cliffs. This park was created in the 18th century by Sir Rowland Hill. A 2.5-hour walking tour takes you up the White Tower (from which thirteen counties are said to be visible on a clear day), over the Swiss Bridge, into the Hermit’s Cave and rhododendron jungle, and through a rocky chasm. Of course, you can spend much more time in the park, as there are more weird sights, and there is no time limit. Visitors are free to spend as much time as they wish at the site which interests them most. Allow four hours for the complete circuit.

The park which was created in the 18th century, became forgotten, overgrown and ruinous. It was sold in 1990, restored and reopened in 1993 to the public. The owners were the same as of the Hawkstone Park Hotel, and they extended the golf course which was first created in 1915. It seems they earned the money with the golf course and the hotel, and the follies were only an additional feature. Nevertheless, they renovated it very well.

The caves are located in Grotto Hill, man made caverns carved out of the white sandstone with huge support pillars who support the ceiling. Traces of malachite and other copper deposits in the walls nourish speculations about a Roman or a 5th-century copper mine. This was also once the grotto decorated with shells, slag, coral and ore-encrusted walls and coloured glass in its windows. We recommend to bring a torch to be able to fully explore the tunnels and passageways. If you have no torch, the gift shop at the tearoom will happily sell you one. Walking shoes and appropriate clothing are also a good idea.

More recently, Hawkstone Park was in the headlines, when Graham Phillips, the author of King Arthur - The True Story and In Search of the Grail announced, that the parkland may have been the final resting place of King Arthur. The owners used the publicity and made a presentation about "King Arthur" in the grotto, where the legend is explained. The area is also associated with the Arthurian story of the giants Tarquin and Tarquinus. According to legend they owned the Red Castle. Their brother Sir Carados captured Sir Gawain, and as a result Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristam set out to rescue their friend. After a legendary fight Sir Lancelot killed the giant Sir Carados at Killguards near Weston Church and freed Sir Gawain. Another legend tells that the Holy Grail was once hidden in the grotto caves in Hawkstone. Even if you never visited Hawkstone, you may have already seen it: the BBC TV series Land of Narnia was filmed here.

The park is operated by Principal Hotel Company together with the nearby hotel and golf course Hawkstone Park. If you are guest of the hotel you get reductions for the entrance fee of the park. Hawkstone Hall on the other side of the Follies is an early 18th-century country mansion built between 1701 and 1725 by Richard Hill of Hawkstone (*1655–✝1727), second of the Hill baronets, of Hawkstone. It was sold 2017 and is now used as a hotel, for weddings and events, it is also listed as a spa.