Riber Castle, Victorian country house in Matlock Town, England.
Riber Castle is a Victorian country house in Matlock Town, England, standing on a hill above the Derbyshire landscape. The façade shows corner towers, battlements, and gritstone walls that recall medieval fortifications.
John Smedley began construction in 1862, transporting building materials up the steep slope using a pulley system. The building later changed use several times, serving for a period as a boys' school and as a park for native wildlife.
The structure served multiple purposes throughout its existence, including time as a boys' preparatory school and later as a wildlife park for British species.
The property is currently being converted into residential apartments and remains closed to visitors. The hilltop location offers distant views across the region for those who observe the grounds from outside.
Local people called the building Smedley's Folly because supplying water at this elevation posed technical difficulties. The name stuck across generations, even though the country house was successfully completed.
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