John Wilkinson (1728-1808) made his fortune in the iron industry in the second half of the 18th century. Such was his ardour for developing and innovating in his field, that he became known as ‘Iron-mad Wilkinson’, and that passion even included a plan to spend eternity encased in iron.
Wilkinson was born in 1728, and started his career in his father’s iron furnaces in Lindale and Backbarrow in Lancashire (now Cumbria), but ambition to learn more about the industry soon took him to the West Midlands. He established foundries there, moved in the same circles as great engineers such as James Watt, Matthew Boulton and Abraham Darby, and accumulated great wealth. He was admired for his industrial prowess, but also considered ruthless in business, and there were accusations that he had claimed the innovations of others as his own. He was proud of his success and the status it gave him: when establishing a works in north Wales, he stayed at an inn in Wrexham where he did a deal with the landlady to ensure the best room was always at his disposal – much to the annoyance of the aristocracy who were sent to lesser rooms, and visiting ladies who expected gentleman to be gallant and allow them the finest accommodation.
Over time Wilkinson bought estates near his works in Staffordshire and North Wales, but Lancashire remained his greatest love and in the 1770s he built a house called Castle Head (sometimes Castlehead) overlooking Morecambe Bay, close to the village of Lindale. At Castle Head he created a pleasure ground, converting ‘barren waste into beautiful gardens and shrubberies’. The estate took its name from a lofty hill which he landscaped with picturesque winding walks and rocky steps leading to a walled garden on the summit, where he grew fruit. Ever the engineer, he built walls and sluices to control the sea, and he was highly praised for reclaiming land from the marshy coastline. By 1789 it was reported that what ‘was once an entire bog is now nearly covered with verdure and grain’.
In 1783, when only in his mid-fifties, Wilkinson finished work on an area of the garden that was very important to him – the ‘Place designed to receive [his] Remains’. A cavity cut into the rock of the hillside, facing the house, housed six cast iron cases which had been made at his foundry. Here Wilkinson would be buried alongside ‘select friends’ who might wish to spend eternity with him. The ends of the iron coffins had doors so that wooden coffins could be slid inside, and then the iron coffin would be sealed and an inscription added. Trees and shrubs were planted around the unconventional mausoleum ‘which in Time will form a Grove’.
The trees had plenty of time to mature, as the ’eminent and opulent’ ironmaster lived on for more than two decades, dying at his Bradley estate at the age of 80 in 1808. Originally he had stated in his will that he wished to be buried without any ‘Parade or Pomp’ at whichever of his three estates he was then resident at: if at Brymbo he was to be buried in the Chapel; if at Bradley in his garden; and if at Castle Head in the ‘place I have there prepared for that purpose’. In a codicil however he changed his mind, and stipulated that his body was to be taken to Castle Head and buried in the ‘Iron Case’.
Tales of Wilkinson’s burial abound, and it is very difficult to sort fact from fiction. According to local legend the coffin in the garden turned out to be too small, so Wilkinson’s body rested in the garden until another could be delivered from the midlands foundry. That coffin then supposedly became stuck in the treacherous sands of Morecambe Bay as it made the crossing, and the men had to wait for the tide to turn before they could haul it out. What is certain is that Wilkinson was given a funeral service in Lindale parish church and then by ‘order of his executors deposited in the gardens of Castle Head’ where the ‘iron pyramid’ was then erected. The inscription, in gilded letters, had been composed by Wilkinson himself, and was intended to read:
‘Delivered from persecution, malice and envy here rests John Wilkinson, Ironmaster, in certain hope of a better state and heavenly mansion, as promulgated by Jesus Christ, in Whose Gospel he was a firm believer. His life was spent in actions for the benefit of man and he trusts, in some degree, to the glory of God.’
A most unusual epitaph, but curiously that is not the wording on the monument today. It seems that Wilkinson’s family and executors quietly decided on a less strident version:
Wilkinson rested in peace at Castle Head for two decades whilst his natural children and his nephew squabbled over his will. Eventually, the ‘beautiful mansion house called Castle-Head’ was offered for sale in 1828. Someone must have decided that a corpse, even one encased in iron, was not a great attraction to a buyer, and Wilkinson’s body was quietly removed to a vault in the parish church on 16 August 1828. There Wilkinson was reunited with his wife who had requested a more conventional burial, and specifically ‘desired that her remains might not be put in an iron coffin’.
The obelisk is described in situ in 1848, and is clearly marked on the Ordnance Survey map published in 1850, but Castle Head remained unoccupied for some years and whilst the ‘tenantless hall’ sat empty it seems that the obelisk toppled over. When Edward Mucklow, owner of a Dye Works in Bury, bought the estate he proposed moving the monument to a more public spot on the edge of his estate, near the road into Lindale village. A plaque on the monument records his munificence:
REMOVED FROM
CASTLEHEAD GARDENS
JUNE 1863 & RE-ERECTED BY
EWD MUCKLOW ESQR
A letter to the local paper suggests that Mucklow then sold the remaining iron coffins as scrap metal.
Mucklow died in 1906, and the Castle Head estate was put on the market the following year. With the centenary of Wilkinson’s death approaching there were moves to buy and restore the obelisk. A Wilkinson Memorial Fund was initiated, but progress was slow, and probably not helped by newspaper descriptions of the obelisk as ‘inartistic’ and ‘ugly’. It wasn’t until 1915 that the Westmorland Gazette could announce that the site had been secured. A small park was created around the monument, originally with a picturesque arrangement of large rocks, although they had disappeared by the middle of the century. Within two decades the obelisk was recorded as being in poor condition, but the outbreak of war meant that repair was delayed until the 1950s, when the Manchester branch of the Institute of British Foundrymen raised the necessary funds.
The obelisk was listed at grade II* in 1970, and photos from around this date show that it was again in poor condition and held together with metal bands. At that date the obelisk was a natural oxidised red in colour, with the plaque and the circular portrait in black with the face and lettering in gold. In 1984 funds were raised to enable a full-scale restoration at Dorothea Restoration’s works in Buxton, and in May 1985 a ceremony was held to mark its return to Lindale. At this date the column was painted black with the relief portrait face and lettering gilded.
By 2007 the obelisk was again in need of attention, with paint peeling off. A fundraising campaign in 2008, marking the 200th anniversary of Wilkinson’s death, allowed further restoration, leaving the obelisk a uniform black, with no gilding. Congratulations to all in this little village who have, for more than a century, ensured that this most interesting of monuments receives the constant attention it needs, and saved it from the scrapyard.
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Gand says:
Never mind Marvel comics or even Black Sabbath, this could be the original Iron Man.
Another fine snippet about a quiet corner of England. Thanks.
Editor says:
Hopefully we will all be able to resume folly-spotting before too long. Stay safe and well.
Christine Squire says:
A very interesting article. The village are now attempting to save the church where he is buried and create a John Wilkinson Heritage and Community Centre. http://www.lindalecommunitytrust.org.uk. It would be very nice to know the sources of your information.
Editor says:
Hello Christine. I visited the church when I was researching this post. Pleased you have such exciting plans. I research each post in great detail and use many sources. I’d be more than happy to tell you where I found information. Was there something specific?
Samantha Hogate says:
Hello! I found your article very interesting and detailed. John Wilkinson is my 5th great-grandfather. I’ve never seen the first picture of Castle Head before (the one by Gilbert Gilpin). I was wondering how you found it, as well as the great information about the details of the burial sites? When I search the British Library’s catalogue for the picture it nothing comes up. Fantastic article, great research!
Rob says:
Most interesting ! My father (John Robert Wilkinson) who died a few years back always claimed that we were decedents. I did quite a bit of research 40 years ago and was drawn to the conclusion that it was a false claim. A few reasons for this, one being that the Wilkinson Society was adamant that he had no legal decedents ! If any remained they would be in The U.S. I was particularly interested in the iron boat that he made and had a few leads there. An extraordinary character well worth study if just for the entertainment value. Let me know if you would like to keep in touch. robbiekcampbell at bt internet dot com. Best wishes and keep safe Rob
Editor says:
Hello Samantha. It’s great to hear from a descendant of this fascinating man and I’m very pleased you enjoyed the post. I will send you an email with further information on sources.
Dianne Long says:
Dear Editor, Christine, Samantha and Rob,
I have just come across this article by chance. I researched John Wilkinson as part of my PhD and ongoing research on Georgian industrialists’ designed landscapes. I have visited Lindale and Castle Head Hill a couple of times and I am always keen to find out more. I came across the drawing shortly after it had been acquired by the British Library – one of those wonderful research moments! Wilkinson was great friends with another highly successful iron master in South Wales, Richard Crawshay, with whom he also shared horticultural and farming interests. There are frustratingly few records (as far as we know) from Wilkinson himself regarding Castle Head Hill or indeed his other properties. I live in hope!
Editor says:
Hello Dianne. The drawing is a real treat, isn’t it. Whilst I was focused on the history of the obelisk, it was very hard not to be completely distracted by Wilkinson’s life and work. Fascinating character.
Samantha says:
Good to hear from you Dianne! I completely agree that the drawing was a great surprise. I have the other drawing framed on my wall, and first saw it at Castle Head. So to see another drawing was wonderful. I also live in hope of finding more about Wilkinson. Just last month some family papers basically appeared out of thin air, and thanks to an incredibly generous gentleman, have been reintroduced to our family after 60ish years. So, there is always hope! You can bet after things get better I will be back in the UK digging around everywhere I can for records.
Wendy Foster says:
Hi everyone, I have had the privilege of working at Castle Head for the last five years. I am always trying to find out more about the family, how they lived and worked at Castle Head. I believe that someone that was related to the family gave information that the nephew that inherited Castle Head had gone to America.
It would be great to know more about the building the house, I have always been curious of who designed the building and what the layout of the original rooms were used for.
Wendy
Samantha Hogate says:
Hi Susan, I’ve just seen your post 3 years later… There is a lot of great info online. Any chance I can come hang out at Castle Head for a year or two? I’ll pay my own airfare, sleep in a closet, and mop the floors haha! Seriously though, Castle Head is such a special place – I’m so glad it’s being well utilized. I hope to visit again one day.
Paul Kirkwood says:
A fascinating tale, full of eccentricity. Thanks for telling it, Karen. Interesting pics too. I called by on the way home from Grange-over-Sands yesterday. Earlier on a walk I enjoyed a (distant) view of Kirkhead Tower and passed Wraysholme Tower. A follytastic day!
Editor says:
Hello Paul. Every day should be follytastic. Kirkhead Tower is on my (very long) list for further investigation. Too many follies, not enough time!
Susan Talbot says:
Apparently John Wilkinson was my great/great/great/great ( not sure how many greats ) grandfather ! No im not mad either
Editor says:
Good evening Susan What an interesting ancestor. And I’m delighted to know that you haven’t inherited the urge to create iron obelisks and coffins.
Sue Talbot says:
Hi Samantha , I’d love to give you lots of information on the line I descend from but sadly I do not know.
Dad sent me the link last night and I’ve told him I’ve written a reply to it and hopefully he will too to try and give more information.
I’ve tried Emailing Bill Oddie as apparently he is a has a family link to John Wilkinson . I had no reply .
I’ll speak to my dad tonight . All our information is very vague and I’d love to know more.
Kind regards
Sue
Samantha Hogate says:
Hi Susan – I’d love to know how you’re related! I am descended from John’s son John Jr., then his son Charles. I’d love to chat!
Sue Talbot says:
Hi Samantha , I’d love to give you lots of information on the line I descend from but sadly I do not know.
Dad sent me the link last night and I’ve told him I’ve written a reply to it and hopefully he will too to try and give more information.
I’ve tried Emailing Bill Oddie as apparently he is a has a family link to John Wilkinson . I had no reply .
I’ll speak to my dad tonight . All our information is very vague and I’d love to know more.
Kind regards
Sue
Sue Talbot says:
Sorry my Dad .. Rob has posted a comment above
Rob Campbell says:
Thanks Sweetie. No mention of the iron boat I see…..perhaps that was the empty coffin afloat in Morecombe Bay ! I will put something together based on our investigations 50years ago. As usual, more questions than answers ! Hugs x
Susan Talbot says:
Thanks dad 😊 it would be good to find out unanswered questions wouldn’t it ? Then we’d finally know ❤️ xx
Dianne Long says:
Hello,
I would be fascinated to hear more about links to John Wilkinson and if anyone has any archives. I have done a lot of research on John Wilkinson, particularly on his development of his garden at Castle Head and have an article forthcoming in the Cumbria Gardens Trust’s ‘Occasional Papers’. If I can help with any information, do ask.
Dianne
Rob Campbell says:
Hello Dianne
Thank you for the collection of interesting tales about John Wilkinson. My father was adamant that we are directly related to him. He told a wide eyed me many an anecdote about John Wilkinson’s interesting life. The trouble is that I believe that most of these tales suffered hugely from aggrandisement. I sincerely regret not being more enquiring then when all my seniors were alive. Now, there is no-one as far as I know who can satisfy or guide our interest. I am grateful that my daughter Susan is taking a keen interest.
We would love to hear from anyone who can throw a bit more light on John Wilkinson’s life, and maybe on the following
It is related that John was the first person in the world to consider and sucessfully build an iron boat.
It is said that when his remains were moved from Castlehead, the church authorities would not allow him to be buried within the boundary of the cemetery. He was thus buried just outside the cemetery close to the boundary wall.
Some believe he should be given some credit for timely naval successes of that period. It is quite probable that he invented a method of manufacturing gun barrels which were much more accurate than the ones in common use by other navies.
He was known as “Iron mad Wilkinson”. Cast iron structures fabricated in his works can be found all over the world to this day.
He was too large for the iron coffin he had made for himself. The replacement coffin came from London.
He had serious interests in other industries like tile and clay pipe manufacture.
The drawn out and acrimonious disposal of the estate gave Charles Dickens the basis of a story for “ Bleak House”
A percentage of wages for his workers was paid with money (tokens) made by him. This had to be spent at ‘his’ shops. The Wilkinson penny is quite a common collectors piece.
…..and so it goes on.
I was connected with The Wilkinson Society at one time, but they were apparently convinced that there were no ancestors in this country, to the point of rudeness. They doubted too if any family lines existed in the States. We had relatives in the States who lent my mother and us three kids a house in Philadelphia for the first part of the war. We returned to U.K. prematurely, thinking the war was over.
Our family definitely had “status” at one time, having very strong connections with the Wilkinson name for a couple of hundred years at least. But, for some reason unfortunately family ties were not strong.
I am so glad that my daughter is following this intrigue. It would be great to hear from you. Best through Susan as I am not too savvy with bits and bytes.
Rob Campbell (born Wilkinson).