Miller is refurbishing the interior of Durham Castle which is both a World Heritage Site and home to student residence and facilities. The Castle is open to guided tours and outside of term time serves as a venue for weddings, banquets and conferences with bed and breakfast accommodation.
Due to the historical value of the castle many original features will be retained whilst newer additions will be sensitively replaced or remodelled.
The project will be completed in two phases. The Great Hall, Servery and Kitchen will be refurbished by September 2011 as part of Phase 1. The Great Hall’s refurbishment involves restoration of the original chandeliers, cleaning of the timber rafters and the existing oak panelling and radiator housing.
The kitchen will be redecorated and updated to a full commercial kitchen. The Servery is to be fully renewed and decorated to complement the interiors of the adjoining hall. The walls will be lined with a Muraspec panelling system.
In January 2012 the College will be closed to the public during phase 2 when the student accommodation will be updated to modern standards whilst conserving existing features. The new bedrooms will be fitted with either ensuite pods or purpose fitted bathrooms. The existing joinery will be sensitively replaced with new mouldings and fittings.
All elements have been protected prior to the start on site of works, paying careful attention to the door openings and flooring to avoid damage during the works.
Miller will be consulting with David Sparkes of Durham Council Conservation throughout the project.