Saving Castle Drogo – Nothing is normal
What might happen if Castle Drogo was left to the elements? From 9 March, a perfect glass ‘drip’ is suspended in a trophy cabinet, a room where Dartmoor appears to have taken over.
As the conservation project to save Castle Drogo enters its final two years, artists have taken inspiration from the history and stories of this striking 20th century castle overlooking the Teign Valley. Each artist has taken a very different approach – with everything from sculpture, interactive gadgets, photography and film to new interpretations of objects in the collection.
Visitors can look forward to new and unexpected experiences right up until 2017, when the massive 5-year conservation project comes to an end and the castle is watertight for the first time in its history.
Louise Donovan, Creative Programme Manager at Castle Drogo, said: “As we edge towards 2017, artists are bringing the castle back to life in intriguing and often surprising ways. We’re inviting everyone to look closely at the very fabric of the building and its gardens, and understand what might have happened if it had been left to the elements.”
In one room stands a large illuminated model lantern, inspired by the architectural design of the castle’s kitchen lantern. Its creators Dovetail Foundry, a London visual design company, took inspiration from the story of the castle and the life of its original owner Julius Drewe to create the lantern’s hand-painted panels. Each panel tells a different chapter in the Drewe family story, including Julius’s travels as a young man trading tea in the Far East and in the First World War. These had a lasting impact on the life of the Drewe family as well on as the men who built the castle.
Devon-based interior designer and artist Jill Smallcombe is presenting the extraordinary ‘Char de Triomphe’ tapestry, one of only 5 tapestries in existence in the world, in a whole new way, after its return from years of essential conservation work. It‘s now hanging in pride of place in the middle of what was the dining room so that it can be viewed from both front and unlined back, revealing not only how it was created but also the intricate repair work.
One of the creative partners, Devon-based Mdesign have worked with another local company Forkbeard Fantasy to explore what would happen if the castle was left to go to ruin. One of their rooms, the old night nursery has been transformed into a replica bedroom, with furniture, distressed fabrics and flooring attacked by woodworm, moth and silverfish – imagining what would have happened if the worst of the Dartmoor weather and wildlife had been allowed to creep in.
On the edge of the formal garden stands a giant chair which appears to have taken root in the landscape, with a variety of plants beginning to cover it. One half of the chair still resembles those found in the castle’s collection, but the other half has returned to its original state; a tree trunk with bark, moss and roots. Linked to a story which begins inside the castle, the chair is part of MDesign’s ‘missing objects’ narrative imagining what might happen if the castle was left to the elements. Would the collection objects be claimed by the Dartmoor landscape and how would we preserve and care for them? Designed by Catherine Hill and made by furniture maker Tim Rae-Duke, the chair has been constructed from timber sourced on the Castle Drogo estate.
Heather Kay, General Manager at Castle Drogo said: “Remaining open during the ‘Saving Castle Drogo’ project means we can share every stage of this vital work with visitors and thank them for all the support they are giving to this very special place. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get an up-close look at the conservation work taking place on this unique building.”
You can also experience a bird’s eye view of the building work by climbing up the viewing tower to look down onto the roof (restrictions apply).
Find out more about the artists, their work and the building project at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo
