It’s all hands to the pumps – and paint brushes – at Muncaster Castle this week as the historic home races against time to be ready for a gala dinner and music evening.
At the weekend, the drawing room hosts a gala dinner as part of a special music evening at the castle. It is working with The Gather, Ennerdale to put on the event featuring renowned saxophonist Snake Davis and guitarist, singer and songwriter Gareth Mouton.
And Iona Frost-Pennington, whose family have lived in the West Cumbrian castle for over 800 years, has donned her overalls to redecorate one of the sumptuous rooms after the professional decorator lined up for the job had to pull out at the last minute.
“Because we live in a castle, people sometimes think our lives are like Downton Abbey! But nothing could be further from the truth,” Iona laughed. “The servants are long gone and the whole family has to get stuck in to make sure we look after this remarkable old building.
“If that means painting and decorating, moving furniture or cleaning toilets – then that is what we will do. We will have it finished on time.
“There is no other option! It’ll be a bit of a scramble but I’m confident.”
She is redecorating the castle’s drawing room where portraits of her ancestors, former residents of Muncaster Castle, usually hang.
Iona said: “The drawing room was an open courtyard until my ancestors closed it in and roofed it over in the late 18th century. But for the last 10 to 15 years it’s been beset with some serious roof leaks and we alone have not had the funds, until the Historic Houses Foundation provided money towards the works.”
The gala music evening takes place on Saturday, January 28 and is co-hosted by part of the Great Artists Small Venue project.
There are a few gala dinner tickets still available here.
Once they sell out visitors can still attend the live performance by buying a music-only ticket.
