Dominating the skyline for over two hundred and fifty years, Mow Cop Castle is still attracting thousands of visitors each year. And the most frequently asked question "why was it built" still remains accurately unanswered. Of all the possibilities, experts and locals have finally agreed that it was not some Roman watchtower, or ancient place of worship but it was built as a summerhouse in 1746 for the residents of Rode Hall, Randle Wilbraham I. The design was to purposely copy some ancient castle to provide a dramatic view for the newly constructed Rode Hall. It is believed that the family would entertain guests there with tea parties and picnics.

Local stonemasons, John and Ralph Harding were called in to build the castle and were paid one shilling per day until its completion. It remained in use for many years until the Wilbraham family moved to Lancashire and was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. It was renovated twice in 1824 and 1841 and further work was carried out at the turn of the 19th century to try and restore it to its former glory.

In 1923, Joe Lovatt purchased the land from the Wilbraham estate and following several years of legal battles, the land was quarried. Thousands of tons of rock were removed until it finally stopped in 1937, and the land was handed over to the National Trust to ensure its preservation. It was restored to its present day state and now has a secure future.