It’s a dramatic scene-setter, with the imposing ruins towering above. The National Trust wants to plant 20 million trees, but will it achieve anything? Lowther Castle is the original home of the Lowther family. Another £2 million has been raised through the development of a 58-house housing estate two miles away on Lowther land – money which has been invested in the gardens, landscape and visitor amenities. Jackdaws caw from the roofline and dark-stemmed birches (‘Mt Zao Purple’) are growing to create miniature glades. For visitors young and old (and four-legged), Lowther Castle offers plenty to enjoy. In the woodland area to the south-west of the house are the remains of a series of ambitious gardens designed by Thomas Mawson for the “Yellow Earl”. Meanwhile, head gardener Martin Ogle has replanted the orchard with apples, pears, plums, damsons and gages, as well as a nuttery. There is a spacious restaurant and plans for a winter-garden café, while a new exhibition gallery telling the family’s turbulent history seems pitched at the right level. His letter to visitors has none of the usual, “We do hope you will enjoy our family home” politesse. Its gardens were the envy of the north. | Made with ♥ by Scratch Creative. “This place was so depressing and sad until about four years ago,” Lowther says. We have partnered with Lowther Castle to offer our guests a 10% discount on entrance fees for Lowther Castle. In the meantime we wish you and your loved ones all the very best at this challenging time. Though he says his father had no real choice but to scuttle the castle, Lowther believes he did develop an almost vindictive attitude to the family pile. By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy, This content is blocked. Lowther says the garden restoration is viewed as a 20-year project: “The philosophy is that we build everything, we plant everything and, if possible, we grow everything.”. Dramatic ruins, gardens within gardens, an … Accept cookies to view the content. And garden designer Dan Pearson has been on board since 2004, creating a series of what he describes as “hot spots” for visitors. He sees the garden as key to its future success; he knows it intimately because he grew up close by, at Askham Hall, at a time when it was overgrown and neglected. But, by 1957 the castle was abandoned and left to become a ruin; and the gardens were lost to wilderness. Charles, Marie-Louisa and the Askham Collection team. We look forward to welcoming you. Dominic Cole, historic landscape consultant, was brought to explain the significance of the 17th-century garden structure, including features such as a prospect terrace, which provides majestic views west towards the Lake District (a favourite picnic spot for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, who were regular visitors to the Lowther Carriage Driving Trials in the 7th Earl’s time). Jim’s elder half-brother, the 8th Earl – disowned by his father and estranged from the family – argued that the will was invalid; the matter was contested for three years until settled out of court. Lowther Castle & Gardens is one of the Lake District's most stunning visitor attractions. 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We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. *The later the slot you book, the more likely you are to require a defibrillator, PPS. Whilst on a recent camping trip, we went and spent the day at the stunning setting of Lowther Castle and Gardens.Despite visiting the Lake District many times before, neither of us had heard of Lowther Castle or indeed visited. for £100. The castle was said to have a room for every day of the year and its gardens date back to the 17th Century. The guidebooks for “stately homes” generally open with a letter to visitors signed by the current duke or earl, complemented by a picture of the family with a black lab or two on the lawn – all of them doing their level best to look relaxed and secure in their acres. Instead, Jim Lowther, as he styles himself, launches into the grim tale of the sudden death of his alcoholic grandfather and the inheritance of the estate by his socialist father, the 7th Earl of Lonsdale, whose four marriages resulted in a dizzying number of half-siblings and cousins. Why female-owned allotments are booming, Introducing Kinfolk: the Instagram brand that puts the style into living with nature, A tour of Threave, the Scottish estate with an abundance of holly, Why every garden needs shrubs: advice for beginners by gardening expert Helen Yemm. It was built at the turn of the 19th Century and is steeped in history. The castle was said to have a room for every day of the year and its gardens date back to the 17th Century. By using our website you agree to the use of these cookies. In the short term, a great success in terms of visitor numbers has been a large adventure playground in the woods known as the “lost castle”, a replica of Lowther Castle itself. Pearson says he has relished the horticultural challenge here, noting that cimicifugas, meconopsis and Tropaeolum speciosum have all thrived next to the hydrangeas, clematis, roses and giant-leaved vines. In 1957 the castle was demolished and … Lowther is a lively and unpretentious companion as he takes me on a tour around the family estate. https://www.lowthercastle.org/portfolio/the-ghosts-of-lowther-the-gardens-strike-back-saturday-26th-sunday-27th-october-2019/, PS. A trip to Lowther Castle makes a fantastic day out with lots to explore for the whole family. The Ghosts of Lowther are portrayed by professional actors. dinner in our Michelin starred restaurant. The castle is rich in history and was once one of the grandest castles in the country, before it was demolished in 1957. The truth is, of course, sometimes a rather different story (leaky roofs, family bust-ups…), which makes the guidebook to Lowther Castle, in Cumbria, refreshing in its candour. Pearson says he is aiming at a “dark and mysterious” feel with his plantings, with deep blue irises, salvias and campanulas complemented by taller subjects such as Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Spring Dew’ and Thalictrum ‘Ellen’, all cradled in a mass of ferns and other foliage plants. We are currently closed due to the government guidelines and will re open on 3 December. We look forward to welcoming you. Timed tickets give everyone plenty of opportunity to get the creeps. In 1957 the castle was demolished and was left with just the façade and outer walls remaining. gardens are reborn, The stark ruin is all that remains of the great Regency-Gothic house, The ‘garden-in-a-ruin’ in the shell of the castle, The great lawn sweeps up and away with panels of wild flower meadow on each side, Dan Pearson with the Hon William James Lowther, known as Jim, Dan Pearson says he has relished the horticultural challenge here, Garden designer Dan Pearson has created a series of ‘hotspots’ for visitors to Lowther Castle, IN THE AREA | Other places to visit near Lowther Castle, If you take a moment to stare absent-mindedly into the garden, you never know what you might spot, Gardening in November: what to plant and tidy in your garden this month, The best sustainable fleeces to protect your crops from winter, Have men finally lost the plot? It is worth going just to see this as it is simply breathtaking. A friend recommended it to us and as we were camping, thought it would make a nice change of scene. It was built at the turn of the 19th Century and is steeped in history. Our website uses cookies to give you the best user experience. e: weddings@askhamhall.co.uk, © 2020 Askham Hall. But for now, it’s all about visitor numbers and making Lowther a viable concern. click to accept cookies. Castle ruins, gardens, exhibition, huge adventure playground. He covered the lawns with battery-chicken sheds, placed pigpens in front of the castle’s shell and buried the wider estate in spruce plantation. the owner almost sold it Its gardens were the envy of the north. Read our community guidelines in full, Lowther Castle has a To find out more or to change your settings read our cookie policy. The dark planting scheme does well in the sunshine-and-showers environment. One 18th century earl, known as “Wicked Jimmy”, reputedly had his mistress stuffed at her death and placed in a glass case at the end of the dining table (the countess’s reaction is not recorded), while the 5th or “Yellow Earl”, was legendary for his profligacy – in the 1920s he employed his own personal orchestra. Prepare to have your hair raised and your spine tingled as you learn about the Ghosts of Lowther, ghoulish stories drawn from the castle archives. Pearson’s newest addition is a modernist redesign of the massive stableyard which acts as the visitor entrance, with clipped hornbeam pillars and cubes creating a minimalist space. And meanwhile, in the Lowther courtyard, before or after you and your family are spooked to a standstill, shore up your courage with delicious street food, warming and traditional treats, autumnal cocktails and real ale, live music, stilt walking, fire juggling, glowing ghost lantern making, Hallowe’en fancy dress and much more. It was a bit of a murky day at this castle, sadly demolished in 1957 Lowther Castle ruined rear elevation. Built at the turn of the 19th century, on the site of two previous houses, the castle was a grand affair boasting a room for every day of the year. “This is the best thing I have ever done in my life – and that includes climbing all those mountains. Indeed it was voted Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2018 in the Cumbria Tourism Awards.” He was forced to abandon the estate because of debts in 1936. Join head gardener Martin Ogle for a guided garden tour on these dates: August 16 – summer flowers; September 21 – orchard planning & planting; October 19 – early autumn colour.
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