The current castle was constructed in the mid-19th century by John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, of nearby Alton Towers.

[2] Alton Castle was founded in stone by Bertram III de Verdun and built on a rocky precipice overlooking the River Churnet in the 12th century,[3] however the site had been fortified in wood since Saxon times.

From 1442, the castle was in the possession of the Earls of Shrewsbury, who from the beginning of the 19th-century made their home at nearby Alton Towers.

[1] Most of the 12th-century ruins were demolished to make way for the new building which was designed to look like a medieval castle built by English crusaders of the Knights of the Teutonic Order in Germany.

The castle remained a private residence until 1919 when the Sisters of Mercy bought it for £3,500 to extend their boarding school.

The children participate in a variety of activities during their stay including mountain biking, trekking, archery, rock-climbing and learning outdoor navigation and survival skills.