History Of Allerton Castle

In Allerton, Theking had 3½ carucates of land taxable

In Allerton, Uffketill had 1½ carucates of land taxable. Land for 1 plough. Land for 1 plough. The same man has there ½ plough. Value 10s.

The name Allerton is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from any of the various places so called. Allerton in Lancashire, Chapel Allerton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and most of the others in West Yorkshire, are recorded as “Alretune” in the Domesday Book of 1086, and are so called from the Olde English pre 7th Century “alra”, genitive plural of “alor”, alder, and “tun”, enclosure, settlement. Allerton Maulever in West Yorkshire, entered as “Alureton” and “Alvertone” in the Domesday Book, and Chapel Allerton in Somerset (“Alwarditona” in Domesday) have as their component elements the Olde English personal name “Aelfweard”, a compound of “aelf”, elf, and “weard”, guardian”, and “tun” (as before).

Mauleverer is a Norman personal nick-name meaning ‘poor harrier (hunter)’. Mauleverer therefore distinguishes the village from Northallerton, Allerton Bywater and Chapel & Moor Allerton in Leeds.

William Mauleverer:

The Allerton Park Estate surrounds the village of Allerton Mauleverer. For over 600 years it was the family set of the ancient family of Mauleverer, the founder of which was William Mauleverer who came to England with William the Conqueror. He fought on the field of Senlac (the name first used for the Battle of Hastings, an old French form of old English, Sandlacu, the name of a stream near the English line which survived for centuries as Sandlake but no longer exists) and as a reward for his services received the lands around Allerton. His name was to be found amongst the list of warriors to be seen for centuries in Battle Abbey. Sir John Mauleverer was associated with the Crusades of the time of Edward I and was one of the chosen Yorkshire knights present at the nuptial ceremonies of the young King Edward II at Bologna in 1308. In 1314 King Edward II gave license to Sir John to the erection of a chantry in the church of St. Martin at Allerton Mauleverer (see below). The Mauleverers occupied a middle position in the ranks of the gentry. Several Mauleverers were High Sheriffs, a very powerful position in the middle ages. In 1871 “…a square flat stone from a front wall of the old mansion was reported on which sculptured in bold relief was ‘1585 Anno Domini P.J.M.” the date probably when the Mauleverers rebuilt the house.” Sir Thomas was made a Baronet in 1641 by Charles I hoping to win his support in the North. Instead he took up arms for Parliament and raised a regiment of horse and another of foot. He fought with Fairfax at Allerton Moor and was reimbursed by Parliament for his services being made Governor of Ripon and afterwards of Hull. In 1649 Sir Thomas Mauleverer was one of the judges at the trial of Charles I and signatory to his death warrant. He fortunately died in 1655 before the restoration of the monarchy, thus avoiding execution with the other signatories of the death warrant. His son, Sir Richard, supported the Restoration and succeeded to the family estates. He became High Sheriff in 1667 and died in 1713. Some of the Mauleverers are interned in the Westminster Abbey and in the Church of St. Martin at Allerton Mauleverer.

Benedictine Priory:

In 1100 a small priory of Benedictines was established in the reign of Henry II, first in the care of the Holy Trinity at York and then in 1110 it was granted to the Abbey of Marmoutier in Normandy. Sir Richard Mauleverer, the founder, gave them the church at Allerton Mauleverer along with “the tithes, men, lands and possessions” including “the site of the mill there with the pool” and certain lands in Dunsford and Gafton. When the priory was dissolved in the course of the Hundred Years War, its revenues were settled by Henry VIII on King’s College, Cambridge. They remained with the college until 1544, at this date the property was sold back to the Mauleverers and was amalgamated with the estate. Not a vestige of the old priory remains. It is said that the foundations were dug up many years ago and used for building purposes. It is of little doubt that the priory buildings stood in a grass field in front of Gate Hill Farm and was within 200 yards of the present wall, but of the shape and extent of the old monastery, there is no knowledge.

The Church of St. Martin:

The church at Allerton Mauleverer, dedicated to St. Martin, was erected in the time of Henry 1st by Richard Mauleverer, son of William. It was to Sir John Mauleverer that King Edward II gave license by fine in 1314 for the erection of a chantry at the church of St. Martin.

The translation of the original charter reads as follows:

FOR JOHN DE MAULEVERER OF A CHANTRY GRANTED.
The King to all to whome & c., greeting. Although of common council, &c., yet by a fine which our beloved and trusty John de Mauleverer has made with us we have granted and given license for us and our heirs as far as in us lies to the same John that he one messauge six bovates of land and twenty solidates of rent with the appurtenances in Hopeton (Hopperton) and Quixle (Whixley) may give and grant to a certain chaplain to say mass everyday in the church of St. Martin at Allerton Mauleverer in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary forever. And to the same chaplain that be the messauge land and rents aforesaid with the appurtenances from the aforesaid John may receive and hold to him and his successors aforesaid to say mass every day in the aforesaid church in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary for ever is aforesaid by the tenor of these presents we have likewise given special license. Being unwilling that the aforesaid John or his heirs to the aforesaid chaplain or his successors by reason of the statute aforesaid by us or our heirs, should be annoyed, molested or burdened in any way. Saving however to the chief lords of that’s fee the services there from due and accustomed. In witness whereof, & c. Witness the King at Westminster, 28th day of May. By fine of sixty shillings.

Three full length effigies of knights in wood are found in the church. The brass depicts the knight full length, clad in plate armour, with visored bascinet of uncommon pattern, and bauberk and jupon bearing his arms (gu. Three greyhounds courant, in pale, collared, or). The lady likewise displayed at full length, is attired in a long robe; at their feet are two hounds.

Plate reads died November 30, 1400 Johannes Mauleverer

One possibility, Sir John Mauleverer I c1320

The other possibility, Sir John Mauleverer II c 1340

(Sir John was a deponent in the famous Scripes/Grosvenor controversy)

Also two whole length cumbent effigies in stone of Catherine, the widow of Sir Mauleverer who died January 31st, 1703 and her second husband, John Hopton Esq. of Hungerskill who died on 24 April following.

In 1584 the lord of Allerton Mauleverer was Sir Richard, the son of Thomas Mauleverer. The Mauleverer line just before and after was:

“Syr John Malyvorerr of Alderton, maried the doughter of John Bankes of Whipley (Whixley) and by her had yssue Thomas.”

“Syr Thomas Malyvorer, son of John, maried Elisabeth, doughter to John Delaverer of Bransby and by her had yssue Richard.”

“Syr Thomas Malyvorer, son of Syr Richard, maryd Alionore, doughter of Syr Henri Oughtred, knight, and by her had yssue a daughter called Jane.”

Richard Mauleverer, the last of the line of Mauleverers, died in 1713 at the age of 26, unmarried. His mother, already remarried into the Arundell family, inherited Allerton and on her death in 1720 left the lands to Richard Arundell, her son from her second marriage.

RICHARD ARUNDELL:

Richard Arundell F.R.S. Member of Parliament for Knaresborough, was a prominent courtier and Commissioner of the Treasury, Master of the Mint, surveyor of the Kings Works (1726-37) and was responsible for the construction of various buildings at Whitehall. He was also a very good friend of Lord Burlington. A letter from the estate manager to Arundell at Burlington House in London regarding alterations at Allerton show he reconstructed the Mansion, enlarged the Park and rebuilt the Church of St. Martin which stands on a small hill outside the Park.

PARK:

The Park, a very old domain, was originally paled but the palings were removed when the present wall was constructed by Richard Arundell in 1745.

On a map of 1770 the shapes of the water bodies are developed with the upper lake expanded and the high upper lake decreased in a wide stream. The middle lake was dug and the stream widened below the middle lake around the square island which no longer has the geometric interior waterways shown on the 1734 map

Considerable correspondence exists between him and his land agent James Collins. Collins managed three estates for Arundell as well as Lord Burlington’s Yorkshire estate. He was responsible for employing a gardener in 1747, Mr. Banks, who was currently working for William Aisleby of Studley Royal.

MANSION:

The Mansion at the end of the Mauleverer period can be seen from a map of 1734 which shows a long dwelling house with a projecting and battlemented staircase tower at one end; this stands on a courtyard with a jumble of service buildings. Immediately to the east is what appears to be an unexpected two storey structure – possible of monastic origin and related to the early 12c priory. Nearby is a dovecote. Nothing remains of this period and the buildings fall far short of a style appropriate to the position of Richard Arundell who inherited the estate. It is evident that Arundell clearly thought of rebuilding as in 1746 he employed the architect John Vardy, an associate of William Kent and with the Office of Works. Vardy’s design, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, shows a theme and style similar to Holkham Hall. However little, if any, of this scheme was built. It appears that Arundell did build a new mansion as a map of 1770 shows the new house mansion next to the old Mauleverer house, with stables and farm buildings in place. About that time Richard Arundell also rebuilt the Church of St. Martin in the Norman style. The architect is not definitely known but researchers believe there can be little doubt that it was John Vardy. The church, stable, coach house and five mile long brick wall enclosing the original Park survives to this day.

Richard Arundell retired to Allerton in 1750 and died in 1758. His widow, Lady Francis, died in 1769. All their children died in infancy.

During the 18th Century, the estate operated as many others of the period with an economic base in forestry, crops, beef production and charcoal. There was some manufacturing of bricks along with gravel, sand and stone quarries.

4th VISCOUNT GALWAY:

The estate now passed to William Monckton, the second Viscount Galway, a cousin (by marriage) who resided at Serlby Hall, Nottinghamshire. William Monckton added Arundell to his name under royal license in 1769. His papers in Nottingham University Library show that he immediately began landscaping the park. His 1769 account book lists payments for “Hilling in park” and “Hills & putts Stones (on) Edges of Great Water”. In 1772 a Sarah Ferguson was paid for “Washing the Table linen whilst your Lordship was here” indicating that the 2nd Lord Galway had visited the house. He died in 1772 and the estate passed to his eldest son, William Henry, 3rd Viscount Galway who died only two years later. The estate then passed to Robert Monckton-Arundell, 4th Viscount Galway in 1774 who formally moved into Allerton, letting Serlby Hall. About the time of his marriage in 1779 he decided to rebuild the “rather incoherent old house”, such work attributed to William Lindley of Doncaster. The new building had “nine bays and three storeys and had an attached portico of pilasters continued above the cornice to a pediment”. This was not the end of Viscount Galway’s improvements as papers show that he added the finishing touched to the church of St Martin. In 1771, payments were made for the clock and for lettering the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments.

In 1786 the 4th Viscount Galway sold Allerton to HRH The Duke of York, brother to King George.

THE TEMPLE OF VICTORY:

The ‘Temple of Victory’ stands on a hill that occupies a commanding site from which “are seen, to the greatest advantage, the variegated landscapes of the park, together with extensive views of the surrounding country”. According to local legend, is the one mentioned in the nursery rhyme “The Grand Old Duke of York who had ten thousand men …” and may have been built by Galway as it appears on Thomas Jeffrey’s map of Yorkshire of 1771. In that event the architect would most likely have been James Payne, then at the height of his career, who had been building Serlby from 1734-73.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE FREDERICK AUGUSTUS, THE DUKE OF YORK, BROTHER TO KING GEORGE IV

The Duke of York purchased the Allerton estate from Robert, The 4th Viscount Galway in 1786. On Friday, 28th March 1788 it was reported in ‘The World’ (a London publication) that ‘Henry Holland is at present in Yorkshire superintending the improvements now in progress at HRH’s house at Allerton in the county’. Another writer of the period reported ‘His Royal Highness entirely rebuilt the large and substantial residence, erecting commodious stables and laid out the beautiful gardens’. E. Hargrove wrote ‘the Duke of York who, with his Royal brother the Prince of Wales, resided here sometime in the month of October, 1787’. The Prince Frederick house was built entirely of brick, plastered and painted.

COLONEL WILLIAM THORNTON

In 1789, when the estate was put on the market, the catalogue stated ‘The complete Mansion house recently and substantially built on a most approved plan …”. The whole of the Allerton estate containing 4,525 acres, was purchased in 1791 for £110,000 by Col. William Thornton an eccentric local man of considerable repute in the sporting world, a gambler and a reviver of the sport of Falconry. There is a local tradition that the Colonel won the estate from the Duke at the gaming table. He renamed the estate ‘Thornville Royale’ by ‘royal permission’ after the Prince of Wales was his guest. Colonel Thornton turned the estate into a famous sporting and wildlife park. In 1796 E. Hargrove wrote in ‘The History of the Castle Town and Forest of Knaresborough’of the park as containing “four hundred acres of exceedingly rich land, encompassed with a high wall of brick, five miles to be exact, has a great variety of ground, and is well stocked with deer and other game. The great variety this park affords of hills and dales, thick woods, scattered groves, with a beautiful lake, seen from this tower (Temple of Victory) can only be equaled by the distant prospect of fields, woods, villages, and seats charmingly interspersed…”

The tomb of Col. Thornton’s mother, who died in 1800, can be seen in St. Martin’s church outside the South Gate of the estate. Col. Thornton employed John Plaw to design some farm buildings for the estate, the drawings of which were published in his ‘Ferme Ornee” of 1795.

CHARLES PHILIP STOURTON:

17th Baron Stourton. On 11/12 October 1805 the estate including the house, pleasure ground and the richly timbered park of 3,218 acres, 3 roods and 25 perches, was sold at Garroways Coffee House in London to Lord Stourton for £153,315. Lord Stourton had recently parted with the manor of Bonham. A further 642 acres, 3 roods and 5 perches was acquired for £40,000 on 4 July 1810. In 1810 the total estate was approximately 4,016 acres. (Page 582 ‘The History of The Noble House of Stourton, 1899’). He renamed the house ‘Stourton Towers’.

The ancient house of Stourton arose from the town of Stourton in Wiltshire from before the conquest. They can trace their lineage, in direct male line, from one Botolph Stourton, Lord of Stourton, who married Anne, daughter of Godwin, Earl of the West Saxons, and was therefore brother-in-law to Harold II, the last of the Saxon kings, and Edward the Confessor. After the battle fought at Stourton in 878 against the Danes, while King Alfred was sleeping, Botolph Stourton had all the dead bodies removed on sledges. This early act of environmental awareness was rewarded by King Alfred who called his army together and granted Botolph and his descendants the badge of the sledge which is to be found to date on all the Stourton coat of arms. In 1066 Botolph Stourton took a chief lead under King Harold at the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings and after the disastrous defeat of the latter place was one of the last of the Saxon chiefs to hold out against William the Norman, afterwards William I. In 1413 Sir William Stourton became speaker of the House of Commons. His son was made the first Baron of Stourton (of Stourton, Wilts.) by Henry VI on the 13th day of May, 1448 for services rendered to the King during the war. Lord Stourton held the Duke of Orleans in custody at Stourton (in Wilts.) for over a year.

Charles, Duke of Orleans, was the son of Louis d’Orléans and the grandson of Charles V of France. His uncle was Charles VI. He was thus a member of the royal family – and the father of Louis XII. By his twenty-first birthday, his parents were dead – his father murdered by the Burgundian faction – and his first wife, Isabel, had died in childbirth. In that same year he was captured by the English at the battle of Agincourt and spent the next quarter of a century as a captive, moved from one nobleman’s castle to another and traveling regularly in the company of one or other of his “hosts” to London to conduct business or attempt to further peace negotiations between France and England. During those long years the duke was never kept in a prison but rather as a “guest under house arrest” (he moved, on average, every four years) in castles owned by a sequence of important noblemen: Sir John Cornwall, Lord Fanhope, William de la Pole (earl of Suffolk, later duke), Sir Reginald Cobham, and Sir John Stourton, among others.

THE CHAPEL AT ALLERTON:

Attached to the present building and dedicated to St. Mary, the chapel at Allerton was built by Charles Philip, 17th Baron Stourton, in 1807, having started the Roman Catholic mission here soon after purchasing the estate that year. The chapel was considerably enlarged and improved in 1837 by his son and successor, William Joseph, 18th Baron Stourton, who added transepts and vaults under the sanctuary, to which certain members of the family who had been buried in St. Martin’s church at Allerton were removed. The chapel was further enlarged when the house was rebuilt in l848-1854. At that time part of the Dining Room of the old mansion was thrown into the tribune.

THE GOTHIC CASTLE 1848 – 1854

Charles, 19th Baron Stourton, according to family history recorded in The Heritage of the Noble House of Stourton (1899), ‘Charles, 19th Baron Stourton, pulled down the old mansion at Allerton the greater part of which had been build by His Royal Highness, The Duke of York, though one wing of the original house, the ancient house of the Mauleverers of Allerton, was then standing. It was replaced by the present mansion. The demolition of the old building was commenced on September 4th, 1848, the Foundations of the new mansion being laid in 1849. The demolition of the old and the erection of the new buildings were proceeded with simultaneously, the materials of the former structure being used, as far as they would go, in the erection of the present mansion. Most of the English oak and other wood used came from the estate’. Another source records, however, the “earlier two story house around courtyard converted and encased by George Martin as service wing with two story north wing. Courtyard fitted with two story kitchen with five wooden galzed roof. New house built to the west.” The stone was dug at Pool Bank, near Arthington, and as the quarry was opened expressly for this mansion, it was closed immediately after the building was finished. The Dining Room of the old house survived and is now called the chapel room and is located next to the chapel. The original exterior wall and window of this room can be seen from the front of the house. The structure was finished in l851 and a part of it was first occupied in the following year. Some of the outhouses, however, were not completed until 1854 and the terraces not until the end of 1855. Work in the Dining Room was delayed due to financial considerations and was not finished until 1874. The architect for the house, then called Stourton Castle, was Mr. George Martin who lived at 85 Baker Street, London (14 Connaught Terrace, London, on earlier drawings) and who died prior to 1871, the exact date not known. Plans for the Dining Room and ceiling in the Drawing Room are signed by Benjamin Baud, an architect who had submitted designs for the Houses of Parliament competition in 1834. Plans for the designs of woodcarving were signed by Richard Ellis, Riley Fortune and David Chippindale.

Alfred Joseph, 23 Baron Mowbray, 24 Baron Segrave and 20th Baron Stourton Charles, the19th Baron Stourton, died on Christmas Eve 1872 and was succeeded by Alfred Joseph, 20th Baron Stourton, senior co-heir to Baronies of Howard, Braose of Gower, Greystock, Ferrers of Wemme, Talbot, Strange of Blackmere, Furnival and Gifford of Brimmesfield and co-heir to the baronies of Kerdestan, Verdon and Fitz Payne. The abeyance to the Baronies of Mowbray (created in 1283) and Seagrave (created 1295) was determined in his favour in l878.

Charles Botolph, 24th Baron Mowbray, 25th Baron Segrave and 21st Baron Stourton

Alfred Joseph, Baron Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton died at Paris in April 1893, age 64, and his eldest son, Charles Botolph, 24th Baron Mowbray, 25th Baron Segrave and 21st Baron Stourton became the owner and occupier of the house and estate. Through his Baron Mowbray heritage, he was directly descended from a brother of Geoffrey de Mowbray, Bishop of Coutances, who was an adviser to William the Conqueror. Another relative, William de Mowbray, was one of the barons who forced King John to put his seal to the Magna Carta in 1215 and Charles Edward, 26th Baron Mowbray as a direct descendant, travelled to Washington, D.C. in 1976 with a parliamentary delegation that presented one of the four copies of the Magna Carta held by the British Museum to the U.S. Congress.

William Marmaduke, 25th Baron Mowbray. 26th Baron Segrave and 22nd Baron Stourton

The last Lord Mowbray, Segrave & Stourton to live in the house was William Marmaduke, 25th Baron Mowbray, 26th Baron Segrave and 22nd Baron Stourton, who resided there until his death on 7th May 1965 (except during World War II when he temporarily lived in Allerton House on the estate, built in 1847/48 for the Steward).

On 24, 25 & 26 November of 1965 there was a three day sale during which most of the contents of the house were sold.

No. 6 Group, Royal Canadian Air Force

In late 1942, Allerton Park was requisitioned by the Air Ministry from Lord Mowbray, and transformed into offices and was the administration and operations headquarters of the Canadian No. 6 Group Bomber Command. On 6 December, 1942 their headquarters was moved from the temporary site at Linton on Ouse to Allerton Park and on 1 January 1943 reached operational status, no longer taking orders from No. 4 Group and reported directly to bomber command headquarters in High Wycombe. All 6 Group airfields were located in North Yorkshire. No. 6 Group was responsible for flight operations but also for accommodation and feeding of all personnel and the maintenance of aircraft.

No. 6 Group administration, operations and control was housed within the castle but a complete support airforce base was established on the grounds around Allerton Park which consisted primarily of Nissan Huts providing accommodation, meals, recreation and all other facilities for the military personnel who nicknamed their new home as Castle Dismal!

Charles Edward, 26th Baron Mowbray, 27th Baron Segrave and 23rd Baron Stourton.

On the death of William Marmaduke Stourton in 1965 the titles passed on to his son, Charles Edward, but the estate including the castle, by agreement between the father and son, passed on to his grandson, Edward William Stephen, then only 12 years old, and was placed in the hands of trustees until Edward reached his 30th birthday on the 17th of April 1983. On 24th, 25th and 26th November 1965 there was a three day sale during which most of the contents of the castle were sold.

SMA Fathers

The Trustees, trying to find income to support the maintenance of the castle, in 1966 leased the castle to the SMA Fathers, a missionary congregation that was founded to evangelize Africa, which used the castle to train Catholic missionaries for Africa. They could not afford to maintain the castle and moved out in 1971.

Victory Mount Trust

The castle then remained empty until 1973 when it was leased to Victory Mount Trust, “a community of Christians who live, pray and work together to help guests of any age who are in need of holiday, rest and/or healing – spiritual, mental or physical”.

Edward Stourton, William Stephen, 27th Baron Mowbray, 28th Baron Segrave and 24th Baron Stourton.

On his 30th birthday, on 17th April 1983, when Edward Stourton gained control of his estate, he decided to sell the castle. As the convalescent trust who held a lease on the castle had found they could not afford to maintain it, in 1983 an agreement was reached whereby the castle could be sold and they would not be held responsible for repairs. Edward Stourton, now the 27th Baron Mowbray, 28th Baron Segrave and 24th Baron Stourton, inherited his titles on the death of his father, Charles Edward, on 12 December 2006 and lives in the Allerton Park Stable Block which has been converted into his family home.

Dr. Gerald Arthur Rolph

In October 1983, Dr. Gerald Arthur Rolph, an American, purchased Allerton Castle along with 1.5 hectares of land with the stated purpose of preserving it as part of English and world heritage. In 1986 another 42 hectares of parkland to the South and West of the castle including the Temple of Victory was purchased. The castle was in a poor state of repair. The lead on the roof of the Great Hall had to be renewed and the stone mullions replaced. 80 percent of the roof tiles had to be removed, new felt put down and the original tiles, or exact replacement tiles, re-laid. Water damage from leaking roofs and/or broken pipes had to be repaired. Peeling wallpaper, broken floorboards, dangerous wiring which required the entire castle to be rewired, dry rot and wood worm, all had to be attended to which proved to be very expensive and time consuming.

THE GERALD ARTHUR ROLPH FOUNDATIN FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND EDUCATION.

In 1986 Dr. Rolph formed a Foundation under English Charity Deed Number 517743 to preserve Allerton Castle as part of English and World Heritage. The Foundation’s conservation and restoration objectives are very clear:

1. to conserve and/or restore the fabric of the castle to bring it back to its original condition c1870
2. where the fabric had not survived, to use what remained as a blueprint to recreate the original,
3. and create what might have been in c1870 where no fabric remained.

Thus if a person from c1870 could be resurrected and brought to visit the castle, the décor and ambiance would be correct and they would see nothing unsympathetic to that date (except perhaps for electricity, telephones, television, etc.).

On the night of January 21st, 2005 a disastrous fire destroyed approximately one third of Allerton Castle, almost the entire terrace side including the service wing. Fortunately the centre third, which included the Great Hall, Great Kitchen and entire front third including the old Georgian Wing survived with minimal damage, except for the light wells over the Great Stairs and Fireplace.

The fire started in the chimney at the far end of the service wing then, as with the Windsor Castle fire a year earlier, it travelled down the entire length of the roof void and entered the main Gothic castle destroying almost everything between the walls from the ground to the sky. Unfortunately this included the Dining Room, State Bedroom complex and Venetian Bedroom complex, three of the principal rooms of the castle and severely damaged the Library. The heat of the fire cracked the 5,000 gallon cast iron water tank above the conservatory which flooded the area saving most of the conservatory and the adjoining Library.

The day following the fire Dr. Rolph publically committed himself and the Foundation he founded, to again restore the castle and meet his original commitment, made 18 years earlier in 1983 when he purchased the derelict structure, to restore and preserve it as part of English and world heritage. In January 2012, seven years after the fire, this work was almost completed and some of the story is recorded in the following sections and pictures.

Dining Room

The Dining Room at Allerton Castle was considered the finest carved oak room outside of the Houses of Parliament in London and its loss, although a tragedy, provided a challenge to the Foundation to restore it to its original form. Based mainly on pictures, the oak carvings required for the ceiling and walls were made in China. To replace just over 40 meters of the heavily carved cornice needed it was first modelled in clay and a fibreglass copy made and sent to China where it was replicated by the woodcarvers there, along with the 25 oak ceiling bosses, over 400 small decorative blocks, 320 large oak wall carvings. The detailed and meticulous installation and fitting required here was by done by English craftsmen.

The Fireplace was also duplicated in China. The original was crumbling as the fire had weakened the stone. It was first stabilised by coating with epoxy resin, then dismantled into 13 pieces (weighing over 3 tons), and was crated and sent to China to be used as a template to create an exact copy. The carved stone boss above the window also had to be removed, stabilised by coating with epoxy resin and a rubber mould was made to allow it to be recreated in artificial stone; this work being done by Foundation restoration staff. The amoral stained glass windows were recreated based on pictures and scraps of glass by a firm in Leeds. The four wall lights were recreated by a firm in Harrogate. The carved amoral crests and side tables have also been recreated, and a large Gothic long-case clock has been found to replace the original. Fortunately the original main dining table, side table and chairs were out of the room at the time and survived.

State Bedroom Complex

Once construction of the structure of the space (roof, ceiling, walls and floor) was completed by outside contractors, the cornices were designed, created and installed, and the rooms decorated by Foundation staff. The marble fireplaces were carved in China and the furniture to replace those lost in the fire was purchased from auction houses and antique stores in Europe and England. The new State Bed was from Dunect House in Scotland and the silk fabric for the bed, and the damask for the walls from a mill in Italy. The parquet oak floors were laid by Foundation staff.

Palace Suite

Replaces the Venetian Bedroom. A complete suite of giltwood furniture from a Saudi Arabian Palace, originally carved and gilded in Italy, was found and purchased to create this bedroom. The alabaster light was found in London, the marble fireplace was carved in China.

Library

Fortunately the flooding of the ground floor by the breaching of the 5,000 gallon water tank above the Conservatory next door saved most of the Library. Only one third of the ceiling and all of the bookcases on one wall were destroyed. The water however saturated the old plaster design of the ceiling causing it to leach and fall apart and the entire ceiling and cornice had to be removed and duplicated. The bookcases lost were replicated based on the remaining originals and almost all the books were either burned in the fire or destroyed by water and had to be replaced. The wallpaper, printed from the original wooded blocks by Pugin for the Houses of Parliament, was again purchased and hung. Fortunately Foundation maintenance staff who had been working in this area had laid heavy plastic sheeting which protected most of the carpet. The damaged areas were repaired by Foundation restoration staff.

Conservatory

Although the Conservatory was mostly saved when a 5,000 gallon cast iron water tank located above was breached and flooded this area saving it from being totally destroyed by fire. Much of the damage occurred when it was necessary to erect scaffolding through this hall to support the walls during initial reconstruction. All fire and other damaged wood carving was carefully re-carved and blended into the original by Julie Meredith, a very talented wood carver from York, where it is almost impossible to detect the new from the original.

Great Hall

Except for areas of damage to the light wells over the Great Stairs and Fireplace, and the loss of the oak balcony overlooking the Great Stairs on one side which was completely burned out, the castle interior wall (24” thick), the 4 inch thick doors and the ability of the fire department to apply water kept the fire from entering the main section of the Great Hall. A major problem of white streaks in the French polish on the oak panelling was solved by a semi-retired French polishing expert who ignited with a match methylated spirits which he had brushed onto the white areas to draw out the moisture. This is not recommended for DIY. Hot lead and debris had dropped onto the carpet under where the balcony overlooking the Great Stairs was burned out, but fortunately Foundation restoration staff were able to carefully scrape this off with minimal damage to the carpet.

Chapel

The chapel was until recently in a serious dilapidated condition with the roof needing replacement and was on the English Heritage ‘Buildings at Risk’ list for several years. 2013 was therefore a momentous year when both English Heritage and the Country Houses Foundation agreed to assist with funding and work on the roof is now complete. The original stain glass windows have since been restored by The Foundation and the interior restoration continues.