Victorian Roof Can't Handle Modern Storms

An extensive conservation project, valued at £1.8 million, is underway at Cragside house in Northumberland to address its Victorian-era roof and plumbing systems, which are proving inadequate for contemporary weather conditions. Property curator Clara Woolford highlighted that the original structures were not designed for today's longer, damper winters and more frequent extreme weather events like storms.

Work on the historic home, built in 1863 by engineer Lord William Armstrong, will involve erecting a large, free-standing scaffold across its front. The renovation is scheduled to last two years and will pause to accommodate the local bat breeding season. Cragside, noted as potentially the world's first home lit by hydro-electricity, faces vulnerabilities to wind and heavy rainfall, with its Victorian gutters unable to cope with modern downpours.

These overwhelming conditions can lead to water seeping into the building, posing a risk to its historic interiors and collections. "As climate change continues to create more extreme weather patterns, we're having to adapt the house to be able to make sure that it can survive for another 150 years," explained Woolford. The house will remain open to visitors throughout the renovation, funded by the National Trust and grants from the Wolfson Foundation and Sylvia Waddilove Charitable Trust.