National Trust starts to unwrap Castle Drogo as scaffolding comes down

Scaffolding which has enclosed the National Trust’s Castle Drogo for nearly six years has started to come down, as the project to make the castle watertight progresses, however there’s still work to be done both inside and out.

Whilst the project continues, some scaffolding will remain on a smaller scale for final works to complete around the bottom sections of the castle walls. Visitors over the summer will be able to see the exterior slowly being unwrapped as the first phase of the scaffold ‘strike’ to remove the main bulk progresses. It’s expected to take about six weeks to fully dismantle and reveal the Dartmoor granite of the castle again.

After this, the final months of exterior work will follow during the autumn. This will include low level pointing, drainage and reconstruction of the curtain walls. Much of the final work will be around the west side that houses the castle’s kitchen, meaning some smaller scaffolding will remain around that area.

Indoors, visitors will be able to watch the process of the team turning the castle once again into a family home. The big job of reinstating the interior is expected to take much of this year to complete and will evolve further in 2020. 

Visitors will have the chance to see conservation in action as staff at the castle unpack collection items from storage and bring the rooms back to life – the Drawing Room and Dining Room are almost back to their original splendour and there is much more to see as the team continue to work.

Rebecca Glover, Visitor Experience Manager for the Trust said, “It’s exciting to see the building start to be revealed once again. This year we are highlighting the architecture of the castle and the story of the Drewe’s moving in during 1926.  The castle was built entirely out of granite, one of the hardest materials to build with, so around the castle you’ll see many features which would have taken skilled stonemasons months to achieve.”

Tim Cambourne, National Trust Project Manager said, “Over the six years of the project there have been some tough challenges, so it’s great to see the years of hard work coming to a close. The unique nature of the original construction and design has required a unique solution to deal with the fabric issues. This has greatly impacted on the time needed to undertake the repairs and we’re pleased to see the building stand up to the test of some of the recent rain and thunderstorms.”

It’s expected that it will take most of 2019 to unpack, redecorate and restore the castle back into the Drewe’s family home; providing a unique chance for visitors to see conservation in action as it is put back together. Some rooms in the castle will have the collection back on display, reflecting how the Drewe family would have lived in them. Others will be in transition throughout 2019, telling the story of the Drewe family moving in during 1926.

The castle is open every day until Sunday 27 October.

For more information visit: nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo