Work continuing on Castle's restoration

Restoration work continues at Lindisfarne Castle, more than a year since the contents were moved out ahead of the major upgrade.
House steward Nick Lewis carries out one of the many items from Lindisfarne Castle last year.
Picture by Jane ColtmanHouse steward Nick Lewis carries out one of the many items from Lindisfarne Castle last year.
Picture by Jane Coltman
House steward Nick Lewis carries out one of the many items from Lindisfarne Castle last year. Picture by Jane Coltman

Last month, there was more furniture to be moved, albeit on a much smaller scale than the seven-day packing-up process in late October/early November last year.

Writing in the latest Holy Island e-newsletter, house steward Nick Lewis said: ‘I suppose then it is only fitting that a year on we commemorated that mammoth task by moving some more furniture last week, although thankfully it was only a few pieces and over a matter of yards.

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‘Three large pieces of furniture remained in the Castle’s kitchen during the work as they were too large to move; in fact they had to be simply ‘boxed in’ where they stood, effectively creating a room within a room.

‘The rest of the kitchen could then be worked on and now that work is complete, the boxing needed to be taken down, the furniture moved across the room, and the boxing re-erected.

‘One item, a huge dresser designed by Lutyens for the room, could not be moved. The dresser has occupied the same space for the last 111 years and we weren’t about to change that.

‘The wall it sits against is internal and so not at huge risk of water ingress, so the dresser could be protected on its own while the other two pieces moved across the room.’

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Meanwhile, work to the main stairway is now complete with the final skim coat of lime plaster going on the walls in the middle of last month.

Nick added: ‘The walls aren’t getting painted just yet but it already looks amazing; particularly the old medieval door (probably pinched from the Priory) which now stands out as a feature rather than being lost in the old scheme of modern masonry paint.’