History is being kept alive within the walls of a Cumbrian castle thanks to help from a specialist upholstery and design firm.
Rose Castle, near Carlisle, is nearing the end of a five-year project to renovate and restore the 800-year-old building so that it is ready to welcome visitors and guests.
Home to the Rose Castle Foundation, the castle is run as a centre for peace and reconciliation by the charity, which is dedicated to helping people struggling with conflict across the globe.
Ghyll House Upholstery and Design, based at Mealsgate, near Cockermouth, has been helping the Foundation by breathing life back into furniture which was in desperate need of renovation.
Sue Ward, who has been working on the interior design of the Grade-I listed castle, said the work the firm’s upholstery experts had done so far had been invaluable to the Rose Castle Foundation.
She said: “I am so excited to see all the beautifully restored furniture in its place when the castle re-opens.
“I approached Ghyll House because I believed in the importance of repurposing as much of the furniture that was left in the castle as possible. It’s imperative to preserve Rose Castle’s heritage but also not to throw anything away if it can be fixed.”
Ghyll House restored the items of antique furniture at its workshop in Mealsgate.
So far the firm has reupholstered around 25 pieces of furniture, including headboards for beds, more than 10 dining chairs and a large settee that had been in the castle for many years but is of unknown origin.
Ethan Black, of Ghyll House, said it had been a privilege to be part of such a major restoration project.
He said: “It’s been great to be involved in such an important cause for the community and the charity. Our staff have really enjoyed working on the furniture that Sue has been finding for us.
“Despite what the pandemic has thrown at us we’ve managed to continue with our work and help the foundation with any queries they may have regarding the furniture in the castle.”
Carlisle-based building contractors Lambert Gill is leading a multi-skilled team on the Rose Castle renovation project, which includes the installation of new heating, plumbing, electrics and all the necessary safety measures.
Rose Castle, near Dalston, was gifted by King Henry III to the Bishops of Carlisle in 1230. It has been the official residence for the bishops of Carlisle, endured a raid by Robert the Bruce in 1322, and hosted the court of Edward I, as well as the poet William Wordsworth.
The Rose Estate has been home to the Rose Castle Foundation since 2016, whose mission is to equip a generation of reconciling leaders to cross difficult divides and transform conflict.
It is hoped that Rose Castle will reopen in autumn.
