Halton Castle, Halton, Halton
The first castle here was a timber motte and bailey castle. It was probably built by Nigel, the first baron of Halton, in c1070. This was on land given to him by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester. Lupus was given the county of Cheshire by his uncle - William the Conqueror. The castle was used as a prison for Roman Catholic recusants in 1579. Recusants were Roman Catholics who refuse to attend services of the Church of England. It was besieged and captured by Sir William Brereton in 1643 and partly demolished on Cromwell's orders in 1644. In c1800 extra walls were built to create the view of a 'romantic ruin' from the nearby Norton Priory.
