Nearly 4,000 people took advantage of a rare chance to visit Lowther Castle's forgotten gardens last Saturday and Sunday.
Organisers of the open weekend at the 130-acre gardens said they were delighted with the support shown for the first public event of their proposed £15 million project to restore the historic site to its former glory.
The ambitious four-year plan which is seeking backing from The Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, North West Development Agency and European Union also includes restoring part of the derelict stables to include a visitor centre, shops and restaurant and stabilizing the Castle.
Last weekend was the first time the overgrown gardens, which have 18 summer houses, had been open to the public for 70 years.
Project director David Horton-Fawkes said: "The turnout was overwhelming. It shows just how much interest there is in the castle and especially in its gardens. We couldn't have coped without our volunteers."
"We had nearly 4,000 people coming from Carlisle, Kendal and all over Cumbria. We got some lovely feedback. People were fascinated to know what is going to happen at Lowther. They were saying they had been past so many times and never been able to get in. The trust plans to change that."
The restoration project is being run by Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust, whose patrons include Lord Bragg of Wigton. The Lowther family still own the castle but are to hand it over to the charitable trust to restore the building and its 22 separate gardens, whose original outlines remain.
David added: "I'd like to thank all the people who came. They were incredibly understanding about the gardens, which are obviously overgrown and lack any amenities as they have been abandoned since 1938."
"It was muddy but everyone wore wellies or boots and that was all part of the fun. It is a ruin not a visitor attraction - not yet anyway!"
"The clear message was that people think the gardens are wonderful - and that they don't want it messed around with. The trick will be to preserve and enhance what we have got in the gardens rather than go in for a mammoth building project that no one wants."
Nearly 300 people signed up as volunteers at the weekend to help the trust by becoming friends of its restoration project.
The current castle is the third to have been built on the site. It was completed in 1816 but has been unoccupied since 1946 and is now derelict.