Okay, I've been having a discussion on CoasterForce with another member about how old Alton Towers are.
Now, as far as I can tell, the Towers weren't constructed until around 1820. I've done some reading up in books about Alton and the surrounding area, but there's no mention of anything in them about what was at the Towers before that time.
Now, a local Staffordshire County Council tourism piece (a single paragraph) mentions that the site has been in use for over a thousand years, was the site of an old fort, a battle field and a castle. Apparently the Earls of Shrewsbury took over the castle and land when they married into a local family.
This seems to have been repeated a few times around the internet, but I've never seen any "independent" reference to this.
On searching through records about Alton Castle though, it appears that the castle site has been there over a thousand years, was a medieval castle and was owned by the family the Talbots married into. I suspect that the SCC piece mixed up the Alton Castle history and the Towers history. Certainly if you go to visit Alton Castle, you can see the remains of the medieval castle, there is nothing older than 1820 at the Towers site (unless it's hidden under a ride somewhere ).
Anyway, does anyone have any further, well sourced information regarding the Towers? I know there is the Gothic Wonderland book (sold by Joyland Books), but I'm not interested in the Gothic years, but earlier, and I don't know if that book actually covers any of that (I've looked for a copy of the book all around Stafford and Alton Towers itself, but I think it's out of print and not stocked any more).
This all came from a conversation regarding the chained oak. The chained oak does exist, and it's old, but the stories regarding the oak seem to go back much further than the 1820's, and I think the tree is well over 200 years old (but I'm no expert).
So, if anyone can help at all (without regurgitating the rubbish Alton Towers spews out) it would be massively appreciated