This blog and interactive website (link below) is the outcome of a research project exploring the history and significance of the Thomas Weeks Cabinet held in the collection of Raby Castle in Darlington, United Kingdom, made possible through the support of Raby Castle and the British and Irish Furniture Makers Online (BIFMO).
Read on to find out more, or visit the full interactive website below!
Two graduate students collaborated with the team at Raby Castle on the project’s research, content, and website design over the course of a summer internship program. Kelsey Weeks is a Masters student at the University of Buckingham in London studying historic interiors and the decorative arts. Maura Tangum is a Masters student at Bard Graduate Center in New York City, whose research interests range from archaeology to fashion history. They hope you’ll come away as inspired by the Weeks Cabinet and its story as they have been.
Behind the lower doors of this cabinet lives a barrel organ with two barrels, capable of playing up to 24 tunes. A rare and unique piece of furniture, little was known about the network of its makers, its use throughout the centuries, and how it fit within the context of musical and social history at the time of its commission. Source material used for this project includes documents from the Raby Castle archives, BIFMO catalogue of makers, as well as advice and direction from experts at The Music Box Society of Great Britain.
Click on the image to have a listen
At the turn of the 19th-century, British fascination with all things mechanical grew, inspiring the incorporation of entertainment within pieces of furniture. Made of satinwood and mahogany, the Weeks cabinet was likely designed by Thomas Weeks and made by the cabinetmaker George Simson. Weeks established his London Museum of Mechanical Curiosities in 1797 and Simson was a prolific craftsman who worked in London from the 1790’s to 1839. It is likely the 3rd Countess of Darlington saw a similar cabinet with a barrel organ in Weeks’ Museum and was inspired to commission one for Raby. The third craftsman associated with the Weeks cabinet is the organ maker, Joseph Beloudy. Known as one of the finest organ specialists of his day, Beloudy did not often sign his collaborative work and thus it is only upon the superior quality of the Raby barrel organ that historians conclude Beloudy is likely the maker.
Commissioned by Lady Catherine Margaret Powlett, 3rd Countess of Darlington in 1800, the cabinet was originally situated in her private sitting room. Little is written about Lady Catherine aside from a few contemporary anecdotes describing her as “agreeable, and on the whole, kind,” but to others she was “very sarcastic and intolerant; and on the slightest deviation from what she considered the laws of good society, she never scrupled to give her opinion, and that in a very unpleasant manner.” From this enlightening description, it is no wonder she decided to have a barrel organ commissioned for her own private sitting room. With its lively, twenty-four tunes, it would have kept her and her guests delightfully entertained.
When the present Lord Barnard was a child, he remembers it standing in the State Rooms where he and his siblings used to wind it up to play. The cabinet went on long term loan and stood in the Music Room at the Bowes Museum until 2003 when it was returned and installed in the Small Drawing Room. As the inhabitants of the castle changed and the placement of the cabinet moved, its audience widened considerably. Throughout the centuries, this cabinet maintained the beauty of its craftsmanship and the enchantment of its musical offering. The barrel organ is currently silent while essential conservation work is being undertaken to enable the 24 tunes to be enjoyed long into the future.
During July, Durham University Archaeological Services, drone scanned the castle exterior. Every nook and cranny was covered; from courtyard and tunnels, to rooftops and bartisans, relying on the skill of the pilot to navigate the hardware into some pretty tight spaces. The photographs were taken utilising a 14mm lens and 36 megapixel sensor, supported by RTK GNSS positioning to precisely document every feature of the building. The data captured will then be uploaded and processed through Agisoft Metashape Professional and output as a 3D model utilising AutoCad Map 3D.
As well as creating an outstanding record of the building as it stands today, the software will enable the project team to ‘strip back’ known later additions and ‘rebuild’ known, lost features, such as the Barbican. Throughout the summer, Raby’s dedicated volunteers have continued to research the medieval structure and to collate findings based on evidence in other related sites that will help to build the model and to ensure accuracy as far as possible. The end result will have many uses, not only in building our understanding the medieval castle but also how it intersects with later additions and how it functioned as a building. The findings will be shared with visitors in new interpretation to be introduced as part of the castle’s wider development plans.
There has never been a full archaeological survey of Raby Castle and opportunities for research have been limited in the past. This project reflects the ambitions and vision of Lord and Lady Barnard, the castle’s owners who firmly believe that it is by understanding and sharing the castle’s past that we will secure its future. We look forward to sharing our progress as the model develops.
Image courtesy of Durham University Archaeological Services.
It is said the definition of a folly ‘lies in the eyes of the beholder.’ This is because the term ‘folly’ is applied to a building or structure constructed with no apparent purpose, primarily being for decoration. Some did serve a more practical use, such as hunting towers or places to sit and enjoy a view.
Follies were fashionable, playful structures used by eighteenth-century landscape designers to catch the eye and punctuate a sweeping parkland view. They were popular in England and France, and often featured designs inspired by different continents or historical eras. This included mock Greco-Roman temples, Chinese pagodas, Egyptian pyramids and Gothic castles or abbeys. They sometimes also offered symbolic meanings: Roman temples could symbolise classical virtues, and a temple of philosophy at Ermenonville in France was left unfinished, as a symbol that ‘knowledge would never be complete.’
According to the above definition of Follies, Raby has two within its’ wider parkland.
Along the line of trees to the West of the castle, once a formal avenue which is now the terrace, you will find a Gothic style folly. This has been known as many things, including ‘the Summerhouse’- as first depicted on an 1812 plan and described by the 4th Duchess- ‘the Temple,’ and ‘the Belvedere’.
The building was constructed in the third quarter of the 18th century by Daniel Garrett, during the ownership of Lord Darlington. As with many other follies, it served little purpose other than to take advantage of a scenic view. It faced the wide, sweeping deer park and offered views of the surrounding woodland- something you can still admire today by standing in front of the structure. The 4th Duchess, when writing her Raby Handbook in 1870, was very dismissive of the structure:
‘A small stone summer-house, in which no-one ever sits, faces the view and the sun; but as it is on tolerably high ground, there is a pleasant look-out from both sides of the terrace.’
Hidden within North Wood and not currently accessible, the Grade II listed North Folly was built during the time of the 2nd Earl of Darlington. The archway on the folly came from a historic barbican (the outer defence of a castle) which was removed to create room for carriages to turn on exiting Raby’s drive-through Entrance Hall.
The 4th Duchess, again, appears extremely indifferent to the folly in her Handbook, detailing: ‘To the right, you pass the stone quarry, and further on, an open arch, with a green lawn in front, and a cottage on one side…. If it led to anything, I do not see that much fault could be fairly found with this building; but as matters stand, it is meaningless.’
In partnership with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), Raby are participating in a large-scale project to estimate the population size of breeding curlew in Upper Teesdale by extrapolation from a habitatstratified sample survey. The findings will then be used to continue and build on a north of England Uplands Curlew Recovery Project.
The breeding population of Eurasian curlew is declining across almost its entire range, with estimates suggesting a 20 to 30% decline in the last 15 years. For this reason, curlew are identified as a “Globally Near Threatened” species and on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The UK population represents about a quarter of the global breeding population, with larger populations only found in Finland and Russia. The rate of decline in the UK, estimated at a halving of the breeding population in the last 25 years, is amongst the highest recorded, and as a result, the curlew is now regarded as a bird of conservation concern.
In Britain, the curlew was historically a common species, breeding in marshes, meadows and arable fields as well as on moorland, the extent and quality of which have probably declined. Poor breeding success, often attributable to clutch and chick predation, typically by foxes, stoats, crows and gulls, is accepted as the principal reason for decline. In Europe, over half of published studies involving measured breeding success, quote less than the 0.5-0.6 fledglings per pair per year required to offset adult mortality and to maintain a stable population (Grant et al. 1999).
Unpublished recent estimates by the British Trust for Ornithology suggest a UK population of 58,000 breeding pairs. Of these, approximately half occur in England and Wales and half of those, circa 14,000 pairs, occur in the area of the Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Partnership (NUCLNP) making it a stronghold for curlew. This area covers five protected landscapes; Northumberland National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Pennines AONB, Nidderdale AONB and the Forest of Bowland AONB.
Within the upland parts of the NUCLNP decline rates are thought to be much lower than in much of the rest of the UK, and even suggest a stable population. One contributing factor to this is the way the uplands are managed for grouse shooting and conservation, which has a pivotal role in conserving curlew in the UK. This link between management associated with grouse moors and sustained populations of breeding curlew was demonstrated by the GWCT’s Upland Predation Experiment on moorland in North Northumberland. Here predator control led to a three-fold increase in the breeding success of curlew and other waders and annual increases in their breeding numbers (Fletcher et al. 2010). The moors and marginal farmland of Upper Teesdale, situated within the North Pennines AONB component of the NUCLNP, are widely renowned as a stronghold for several species of breeding waders, including curlew. Upper Teesdale forms part of the internationally designated North
Pennines Special Protection Area, which is classified for, amongst other things, breeding golden plover.
The proposed study will build on recently collected moorland bird survey data in Upper Teesdale by conducting a random sample survey across the array of upland curlew habitats present. These data will be used to make a habita based extrapolation to an estimated population size for Upper Teesdale. For this purpose, Upper Teesdale is defined as the watershed of the River Tees and its tributaries upstream of Cotherstone Village.
The proposed survey area of Upper Teesdale lies upstream of the village of Cotherstone and contains 471 1-km OS grid squares of potentially suitable curlew habitat either on moorland or within 2 km of the moor boundary. This total includes 30 squares of mainly inbye fields situated more than 1 km from the moor boundary wall but excludes five squares of predominantly coniferous forest and one square consumed by the village of Middleton-in-Teesdale. A randomised survey of 1-km grid squares, stratified by habitat, is underway. All squares will be assigned to one of five main habitat types; blanket bog, shrub heath moorland, white grass heath, rough grazings and inbye fields.
Mean curlew abundance in each of the five surveyed habitat types, together with the number of squares predominantly containing that habitat type, will be used to extrapolate to the number of birds within each habitat category. These habitat-specific totals will give an overall curlew population estimate. Such calculations may also be considered for other species such as golden plover for which the SPA is designated.
We eagerly await the survey results and look forward to supporting such a significant conservation project of this iconic upland bird.
Creating Peat Compost
Vegetation management on moorland has occurred for generations; there are three principal reasons for this:
In the latter half of the 20th century, much of England’s uplands were designated SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) status because of the landscape and species they held. With sucH designations comes significant regulation that we must conform with. This regulation is governed by Natural England and Raby work closely with them on a regular and continued basis to ensure a continual drive towards favourable status across the upland Estate. Raby also holds a number of environmental stewardship agreements that incorporate management prescriptions that aim to ensure a high standard of management, catering for the needs of the complex plethora of upland stakeholders and crucially nature and the landscape itself.
Heather burning was once a widespread practice, in recent years rotational burning on areas of blanket bog (moorland where the underlying peat is over 40cm deep) is no longer allowed, although there is a licensing process available in certain circumstances. Restoration burning on dry heath is still permitted and practised. This is done by a skilled team of experienced staff. A cool, quick burn method is used to ensure that it is only ever the heather foliage that is burnt, the underlying peat is never burnt or disturbed. To manage areas of heather dominated blanket bog in the absence of burning the Estate, with consent from Natural England utilise a method of restoration cutting. The heather is cut with a tractor and flail. Once cut the heather then starts to regrow from the rootstock but in the interim other dwarf shrub species and sphagnum mosses start to get a foothold creating a mosaic of plant species. The brash created is usually spread evenly over the cut site, typically a small area of say (50m x 10m).
When the hydrological condition of the blanket bog is right, then this brash soon begins to degrade and then adds to the peat layer. Raby is seeking to utilise some of the cut heather and this year with SSSI consent we have and will be harvesting approximately 4,000 bags (cu meter) of heather brash from key locations (donor sites) and using this to revegetate the areas of peatland restoration which we are undertaking in partnership with the Peat Partnership and others. These donor sites have been carefully selected to provide the right amount of heather and other dwarf shrub brash and seed stock. Some sites with a healthy presence of sphagnum moss will also be harvested with the intention that the Sphagnum will readily establish on the restoration site too.
Establishing sphagnum is a labour-intensive process so hopefully, this method will work. Bracken has for years been a problem in the upper dale, historically farmers would harvest it and use it for livestock winter bedding and then a farmyard fertiliser for the land. This practice is now rare but the encroaching nature of bracken remains a serious problem. One method is to use a chemical spray applied by helicopter to kill the plant however this year Raby has sought to try a new method that avoids chemicals and creates a useful raw material for a peat-free compost product. Of course, the locations in which bracken typically grows (steep, inaccessible, stoney ground) means that chemical control will still need to have its place but for the more accessible locations, we have worked with a Cumbrian company who have harvested the bracken using a typical agricultural process of cutting the bracken and round baling it.
These bales are then transported to their facilities and turned into compost in a matter of weeks. Heather and Bracken are both currently an underused resource, continued management of Raby’s moorland and utilising both plants in the above ways will improve the existing moorland but also reduce the burden on other resources which all factor into the UK’s goal for net-zero, providing a rich environment for wildlife and upland stakeholders.
Lord Barnard, in consultation with the deer management team and a renowned deer vet and deer park historian, have undertaken the works with a view to providing more deer-friendly habitats within the Park. We have incorporated an area to the south-west of the main park encompassing the corner of Bath Wood and a small proportion of previously arable fields to the west.
This latest extension incorporates areas of the historic deer park which was once much larger than the area we know today. Crucially this area includes a parcel of mature woodland (conifer and broadleaves), a water course with areas of low-lying wet ground and two areas of newly sown, deer specific grassland.
• Provides an area where deer can be kept safe when large events are held in the park.
• Provides a sanctuary during calving time for the deer to go into and give birth without contending with the pressures of the busy park.
• Provides year-round protection from the weather – shade from the summer sun and protection from the harsh winter winds.
• Both the fallow and the red deer really do love this type of wood pasture habitat and the wet wooded areas.
• There is an added benefit in that any escaped deer can hopefully be pushed back into the park via the extension – they like running from woodland to woodland. They don’t like running from woodland through a small gate back into the park.
• Reducing stress on the herds.
• Increase calving percentages and the performance of the herds.
• Maintain body weights and condition of the deer particularly during prolonged harsh weather and the winter.
• Provide an enriched environment for the deer to have access to.
• Offer visitors a different perspective of the herd in a different environment. In time it is intended that the deer can be viewed in a more relaxed and settled atmosphere. Whilst the public won’t be allowed access into the sanctuary and wooded area, they may get a great glimpse from a distance – so bring your binoculars next time you visit!
• For visitors to the park who love to see and photograph the deer, don’t worry they will still come out into the park and will still be visible in the areas they are now. Having been hefted (a strong natural affliction to a particular area of ground) to the existing areas of the park for the last few hundred years, the herds will still favour being out grazing in the open.
(c) Peter Gunton
A new exploratory trail has been introduced at a local natural landmark to encourage children to engage with nature and see the benefits of outdoor play.
Situated within the North Pennines National Landscapes and UNESCO Global Geopark, the new woodland experience forms part of the circular waterfall route at High Force Waterfall.
Created by talented wood carvers, a series of intricately carved and thoughtfully designed woodland sculptures have been placed along the walking route for families to discover. From a moon-gazing hare and an observant owl to a beautiful fox and a giant caterpillar, the majestic woodland creatures have made their homes in the magical woods close by to the waterfall.
Children can also climb onto a giant’s chair, discover a living bug hotel – which has been created by Raby’s estate ranger, Andy Gibson – and spot a selection of bird boxes in the trees.
Families can pick up a complimentary activity sheet upon arrival which encourages children to engage their senses on this magical woodland adventure – listening to the sounds all around them and witnessing the delights of nature in this landmark location.
Claire Jones, head of leisure and tourism at Raby Estates, said: “High Force Waterfall is a spectacular natural landmark with a fascinating history and incredible setting, and we’re incredibly proud of the new experience we’ve incorporated.
“We hope the new trail provides families with an engaging and immersive way to experience this area, encouraging them to think about the important wildlife habitats it supports, and providing them with fun ways to interact with this stunning landscape.”
High Force Waterfall is open daily 10am till 4pm, online discounted tickets are available or you can simply arrive on the day.
A small entrance fee of £2.50 for adults (16+) and £1 for children (5-15) is required to access High Force Waterfall. Under 5s are free. For details, visit: www.raby.co.uk/events/high-force-waterfall/
Pre-booked family tickets (2 adults and 3 children) for High Force can be booked online with a discount for £7, combined with 3 hours parking for £3. All other family admission tickets can be purchased on site for £2.50 per adult and £1 per child.
As High Force is located in the heart of the North Pennines, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you can enjoy a beautiful scenic drive through Upper Teesdale. Wind your way beside the flowing River Tees, passing bustling market towns such as Middleton in Teesdale, Barnard Castle and Wolsingham, depending on which direction you are coming from. There’s plenty of wildlife and picturesque scenery to look out for on route to us. Kick start your day of family fun with a game of i Spy or other car games.
(c) Daniel Casson
High Force Waterfall is an incredible sight at any time of year, but during the summer the woodland walk to the falls is filled with birdsong, luscious green trees and blue skies (on most days!) The circular walk to the falls takes approximately 20-30 minutes. Although the second part of the walk does include steps, the first part is suitable for pushchairs and families can simply return on the same path to make it accessible. Unless there are serious weather warnings, there is a gate to the bottom of the falls so you can sit on the rocks below and feel the force of the water as it dives over the rocks.
(c) Jen and her Tribe of 7
This summer we are asking young explorers to join us on a dinosaur quest at High Force. Scour the woods, looking high and low for clues and see if you can spot our resident dinosaurs and adventure objects along the way. Those who complete the trail and collect all the missing letters to our puzzle receive a special certificate as a qualified Raby Dino Detective! For those on a return visit why not try our year-round leaf trail and see if you can identify different tree species along the route. Our handy trail sheet will guide you on what to look for. Trail sheets can be collected from the Kiosk, Hotel or admissions team.
For those who are very quiet and patient, if you wait a little while by our bird feeders near the beginning of the woodland route you might spot our garden birds. From blue tits to robins to great spotted woodpeckers, we have a myriad of birds visiting our woodlands at High Force. See if you can identify any from your own garden at home. There is also a bird feeder outside the hotel which attracts a range of local residents.
(c) Peter Gunton
High Force is famous for its collection of whin sill which can be seen along the waterfall route. Whin sill is a special type of hard, dark rock called dolerite which formed millions of years ago when molten rock rose up from within the earth and spread between layers of other types of rocks – limestone, sandstone and shale before cooling and solidifying underground into a flat sheet know as a ‘sill’. After all this time the rocks have now eroded to reveal the whin sill on the earth’s surface. A helpful board at the bottom of the falls can help you identify the different layers of limestone, sandstone and whin sill which can be seen around the waterfall.
We have a designated picnic area by the carpark at the High Force Hotel which offers picturesque views of rolling hills and woodlands. There are also toilet facilities here so a good place for a pitstop on your way to or from the waterfall. For those that would like to purchase food and drinks, our High Force Kiosk is right next door offering a range of snacks including mouthwatering Brymor icecream. Or for a full Teesdale special, why not pop into the hotel for lunch. We do a quality Sunday roast! Throughout July and August we are also holding our Summer Late events with extended waterfall opening and a delicious menu on offer (including a separate children’s menu) from Wednesday to Friday 4pm – 6.30pm. Two adult courses are £19.95 per person and our set child’s menu is £7 per person.
High Force offers plenty of inspiration for the keen photographer. Don’t forget to bring along a camera so you can capture your family day out and make some memories. There are a number of key photo spots along the route with incredible views of the falls in the background. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife too – you never know what you might come across. We’d love to see your photos and videos. Please tag us on social media at @highforcehotelwaterfall on Instagram and Facebook, @highforcewater on Twitter or use the hashtag #highforcewaterfall
Get organised and plan your visit, bringing along pencils and paper to sketch what you see. From close up objects such as trees, rocks and flowers, to wider landscapes, there is plenty to see and draw along the waterfall path. Try crayon rubbing by transferring the textures of different natural items such as leaves onto a piece of paper. Or why not make a map of where you’ve been, highlighting some of the important parts of the walk? Hand drawn pictures make the perfect family presents!
In August we are launching a brand new experience in our magical woodlands at High Force. Children can enjoy taking a photo in the Giant’s chair and keeping an eye out for woodland creatures who will be hiding amongst the trees. Will you spy the moon-gazing hare and our wise owl? Keep your eyes and ears peeled for trolls as you brave the river crossing. You never know what you might find! This new experience is included with all waterfall admission.
All of the above activities are included within your waterfall admission and car parking.
Normal adult day tickets are £2.50 and children are £1 and can be bought on site. Families (2 adults and 3 children) and couples can pre-book tickets on our website for a discount.
Car parking is £3 for 3 hours and £6 for 6 hours.
Hello fellow gardeners and plantaholics,
My name is Tim Marshall. I am the new Head Gardener here at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens and here’s my July update.
As we start an exciting period of immense positive change with the redesign of the historic five-acre walled gardens as part of The Rising Development, I will be working closely with Lord and Lady Barnard, world class garden designer Luciano Guibbilei and Richmond based landscape architect Alistair Baldwin to bring this beautiful and complex garden, along with the surrounding landscape scheme to life!
Alongside this, we have our trusty onsite gardening team of three Craig, Ben and Daniel which will soon increase to four when our Assistant Head Gardener, Jeremy joins us in the middle of July. As the garden progress gathers pace, we will be growing the team (quite literally!) with further gardening roles and volunteer opportunities. Throughout the month of July, the team will be working in the main garden to clear debris and items to be reused at a later date as part of the restoration elements in the historic walled gardens.
To find out more about Tim’s history and what attracted him to working at Raby please visit our blog.
If you’d like to be the first to hear about upcoming gardening roles please visit our Careers page.
Raby’s High and Low ponds have found their way into many a photograph of the castle and surrounding parkland. The 4th Duchess of Cleveland enjoyed seeing the castle from the south ‘doubled in the blue water mirror below.’ They were constructed in the mid-18th century, and formed during a programme of landscaping scheduled by Gilbert the 2nd Baron Barnard. High Pond (also known as Great Pond) was constructed around 1743, and Low Pond around 1748.
In 1748, the moat which once surrounded Raby Castle was enlarged to form a moat pond. This can be seen in the plan of Raby estimated to be from around 1740-1760. This shows both High Pond and an expanse of water which circles the castle. The moat was later filled in- it no longer appears in an 1812 George Dixon plan of Raby, and the 4th Duchess writing in 1870 says of the moat: ‘the greater part of which is now filled up.’ When this occurred, the remaining body of water became Low Pond.
Left – Plan of Raby approx c1740-1760 | Right – George Dixon plan of Raby 1812
During landscaping works in the late 1700s, two ponds were created to the south of Raby’s Home Farm and Lady Wood was planted along the south boundary of the Park. A body of water can be seen below the farm in this 1818 Map of Raby. These ponds have since disappeared (they are no longer present on an 1860 OS map,) and have been replaced with marshy ground. In 1870 the 4th Duchess refers to the ponds:
‘To the south of the Home Farm there is some very pretty ground, falling into deep hollows where Langley Beck crosses it: these were sheets of water in the last century, as Lord Darlington here made a succession of ponds, which subsequently got out of repair, and I am sorry to say have been filled up.’
– 4th Duchesses’ Handbook
Left – Map of Raby, 1818 | Right – OS Map, 1860
Historic plans from 1897 up until the 1950s show a Boat House located on the northern banks of the High Pond. This shows how the ponds were used for leisure over the years by the family and visitors to Raby.
OS Map, 1954
Arthur Galilee, who lived and worked on the Raby Estate throughout his life from 1923 onwards, spoke fondly of winter times by the ponds:
‘Never a year went by without at least two sessions of skating, hundreds used to congregate on the top pond, especially at weekends. John Robert Meynell, a farmworker from Home Farm was a marvellous skater and enthralled everyone doing the figure of eight.’
Ice gathered from the ponds would also be stored in an Icehouse in Bath Wood. Men were hired to remove and transport the ice to the specially made Icehouse, which would keep ice frozen until around June. This helped with food preservation and the production of iced treats when they became popular in the 18th century.
In 1774, Thomas White proposed an ambitious scheme for the park involving canals, islands and lakes while Raby was being re-developed by Henry, the 2nd Earl of Darlington. Most of the plans remained unexecuted, except for the previously mentioned ponds near Raby Home Farm.
Thomas White proposed plan for Raby, 1774
Castle Photography – David Dodds
To find out more about Raby’s fascinating history, you might be interested in these other blogs:
