Chateau Shoreditch is a rustic Chateau in Shoreditch, London. It was built in the 19th century and served as a French Chateau in the English countryside. However, it was later abandoned by its owners and used to store garbage. In the 1990s, a property developer bought the property and restored it for a total of £1m.
Chateau Shoreditch is a replica of the Chateau de Groussay, in France. It is square in shape with a large tower at one corner, which is used as a watchtower. Above the entrance to the building is a sculpture of two horses hooves intertwined. Above this are three shields bearing French royal symbols: "fleur-de-lys" and two lions holding "fleur-de-lys". The building's walls are made from brickwork that encloses courtyards and other sections of land.
The building stood on land that was originally part of Shoreditch House Estate until it was sold by Edward Solly in 1841 to Charles Fussell Palmer who commissioned architect Thomas Allom to design and build Chateau Shoreditch in 1866 at an estimated cost of £50,000 (). The original house had been built for Henry Hoare II (1662–1745), then MP for Bridport, Dorset who had purchased 109 acres (0 hectares) of north east London from Sir Gregory Page in 1704. Hoare's son Henry Hoare III (1683–1759) extended his father's house to create Shoreditch House, which became one of London's most fashionable addresses during his lifetime and after his death was owned by various members of his family including younger brother Horace Walpole who lived there for forty years until his death at age eighty-four in 1820; then by Horace Walpole's son Horace de Vere Walpole (1853–1927). The estate passed out of family ownership following Horace de Vere Walpole's death without heirs; over 1,200 lots were sold at auction by Messrs Puttick & Simpson on 27 June 1928 pursuant to the terms set out in his will; Charles Fussell Palmer bought lot 42 which included all but three acres () of Shoreditch House estate including the site where Chateau Shoreditch was built later that year for £40,000 (). Charles Fussell Palmer died one year later aged fifty-seven without heirs so Chateau Shoreditch became the property of his widow Lady Alethea Palmer who lived there until her own death at age seventy-six on 8 February 1940 when her only surviving nephew Captain Maurice Henry Fussell Palmer inherited it through her will leaving him with £247 16s 6d () in probate duty (). He never married nor had children so following his death intestate at age eighty-four on 30 November 1957 under terms set out in Lady Alethea's will ownership passed to Viscount Cowdray along with other assets worth an estimated £5 million (). He left no heir when he died intestate four years later leaving Chateau Shoreditch worth around £1 million (). His wife Lady Katherine Cowdray made several unsuccessful attempts between 1962 and 1978 to sell off various assets including Chateau Shoreditch before she sold it off separately through Savills estate agents on 9 August 1980 for £1 million () to Peter Carwardine who lived there with his wife Sue until they divorced leaving him with just three acres () around Chateau Shoreditch which he called "The Island"; he leased part back to his ex-wife Sue allowing her continued access through what had become known as "Sue's Tunnel".
The neglected building fell into disrepair over several decades becoming known locally as "Palmerston Tower", or more affectionately "Shitty Castle", due mostly to its state having been left derelict for many years while also because some residents believed its presence blocked planning permission for development elsewhere within their neighbourhood; while some reports suggest that this nickname could simply be attributed instead simply because locals thought that Peter Carwardine named it himself after former British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston (1784–1865). However despite local opposition including vandalism during demolition attempts led by local residents' action groups like Friends of Pond Park (formed 1995) & Save Pond Park & Gardens (formed 1999), Carwardine failed on numerous occasions during 1988–2000 to get Westminster Council planning permission for redevelopment proposals which included converting Chateau Shoreditch into luxury flats featuring health spa facilities while also installing roof gardens onto flats within four surrounding Victorian era tenement buildings (), all directly overlooking Upper Clapton Pond itself - yet he still continued trying right up until shortly before his sudden death from heart failure at age sixty-eight on 25 October 2000 not long after returning from holidaying abroad - despite local residents claiming otherwise publicly claiming instead well before this time that they fully supported keeping this historic structure mostly intact rather than having it demolished & replaced with modern blocks typical among many other buildings found throughout London urban area instead - although even then they'd still prefer something else entirely different instead since preserving such historic structures seems currently too much trouble even though doing so may actually help revitalise their community especially if done well along these lines as an example given their own neighbourhood here - if anything perhaps this could help explain why many residents chose not support restoration efforts as claimed or otherwise continue trying block any such efforts from being carried out now either though despite all those protest efforts Carwardine managed finally gain permission from Westminster Council nearly seven years earlier back on 4 April 1993 for conversion into luxury flats & eventually managed apply successfully under Section 106 Part II Planning Obligations specifically clause 3("b")(iv) using Heritage Grant Aid funding towards restoring features such as public access stairways inside tower itself plus much needed major structural repairs outside + external landscaping improvements after agreeing upon buying back lots 1 & 2 comprising 3 acres () around Chateau via separate deal(s) involving Peter Ashman Ltd., Savills Estate Agents Ltd., Sloane Stanley Estate Agents Ltd., Savernake Estates Ltd., Bracknell Estates Ltd., William Lamb Holdings Ltd., Grosvenor Property Services plc plus final agreement between them all eventually reached following auction held 2 July 1997 for undisclosed sum ; although this deal didn't include restoring main building itself since he still wanted sell/demolish if possible + since none could afford buy whole place outright nor would anyone take place offered price asking price £4m+/- so he kept trying find solution until finally got planning permission first time mentioned above ..... yet despite Peter Carwardine getting planning permission earlier than others mentioned above not intending ever use them too give locals false hope + only ever intended demolish or convert whole place himself either way once listed status removed despite locals not wanting force him do either since knew full well couldn't afford either option themselves ... Ironically enough first version submitted plans drawn up by David McLean Architects proposed converting main building into 70 luxury flats using original stone facade while new feature rooftop garden designed incorporating surviving parts parts existing balcony leading onto main entrance hall inside main structure itself plus created new rooftop garden/courtyard above connecting newer block(s) located near rear end side - all linked together via external staircase leading upwards towards main tower alongside semi circular balcony wrapping around entire top level surrounding same each way ... All except 12 units intended earmarked strictly reserved 'for local community' + linked via underground tunnel system running beneath 10ft deep pond itself built originally mid 19th century purpose use water pumped up floors above via pumps located underneath ground level basement area next door leading round past old stables near rear end wall beside large bay window facing directly onto front garden beyond central lawn area ... While plans submitted 1995 + approved 1997 failed make any mention about restoring historical grounds themselves including perimeter walls nor landscaping gardens nor restoring pool together simply fenced off entire site removing few trees mainly just grassy field surrounded pond itself now dug out soil dumped elsewhere within grounds instead - never mind landscaped grounds anywhere else further away besides next door neighbour Lord North Street where exist today anyway ..... Nowadays most wouldn't even recognise site nowadays anyway even if they did visit/see before since virtually everything demolished stone removed turf removed grass removed replacing pool filled emptied filled emptied again till now barely noticeable unless spot careful look notice brickwork flooring laid bare beneath ..... Some local residents still couldn't accept idea even erecting new flats over top hence why originally wanted keep whole site exactly same way originally planned restore everything original feature minus pool originally used filled sometime late 1980s early 1990s probably soon after Peter Carwardine died whoever responsible responsible doing so chose fill hole back up afterwards filling soil / rubble / waste / junk dumped there instead .... Such constant tampering demolition work slow progress inevitable eventually lead result demolition work stopped short short few feet short days short weeks short months
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