Castle begins major roof repairs

Visitors will be allowed access to the roof to view the work

A £400,000 project to re-roof a third of Dunster Castle in West Somerset is getting under way.

Scaffolding, which will cover part of the west and east fronts and arch over the whole building to encompass the roof, is currently being erected.

The castle, more than 1,000 years old, has suffered with roof leaks and its contents and fabric are threatened.

Among the vulnerable items and areas are the leather hangings in the Leather Gallery and King Charles' Bedroom.

The National Trust's project will involve removing one third of the lead roof to judge whether it needs to be redesigned before a new roof is installed.

The company appointed to carry out the new lead work will be required to use the opportunity to train apprentices on historic lead roof work and the trust is keen to use the project to help develop heritage building skills.

Roof-top view

A new exhibition in the Leather Gallery will explain the work and offer visitors more detail on the history of the covered hangings, as well as the history of the King Charles Room.

Four rooms - the Billiard Room, Justice Room, Library and Drawing Room, will be presented with an evening feel with appropriate lighting and curtains drawn to give an impression of how the rooms were used in the past.

"We are delighted that this project to safeguard the Castle and its contents is getting under way," said William Wake, Property Manager for Dunster Castle.

"As part of the project, we are planning to allow visitors to ascend to the roof to watch the work from walkways as the roof is peeled back and, at a later point, as the lead work is carried out to create a new roof," he said.

The project which is scheduled to take 12 months, is being jointly financed by English Heritage and the National Trust.