Lowther Castle.

Things were progressing well at the studio so we took time off to go with Kat to visit Lowther Castle and gardens.  It was the last few days of the display of ceramic daffodils.  Early in the year, they would have been impressive but by now the grass had grown and almost hid them.

The site of the castle has been in the Lowther family since Dolfin de Lowter settled there in 1150.  The current castle date from the early 1800s having taken 8 years to build.  It was taken out of use in 1937 owing to the extravagant ways of the 5th Earl of Lowther.  During the war, it was occupied by a tank regiment.  The contents were removed in the late 1940s.  In 1957 the roof was taken off to avoid (so it is said) tax liabilities.

Since 2011 it has been slowly turning into a visitor attraction.  The ruins have been made safe and plants frame the pathways through.  The gardens which had been engulfed by woodland are being restored.  Work is still going on on both the gardens and the ruins.