The Project has a variety of features but at its core will be the ruined castle, its panoramic central tower and the abandoned Edwardian gardens. The history of the site, its occupants and the notable names that have worked at Lowther is minutely recorded in an archive of over 2,700 steel trunks. The record has been described as one of the most complete in the UK and provides a wealth of stories for entertainment and learning.
In addition to providing access to the ruined castle and its renovated gardens, the Project will have a free-to-access visitor centre with shops and restaurants in the former stables. There will be a gallery and exhibition space in the restored East wing of the castle. A contemporary Pavilion will stand inside the ruin, constructed from renewable materials and self-sustaining. An adventure play area will be created in the East woods for children and families. A series of striking new gardens, including a kitchen garden, will be planted inside the Castle walls. The renovation of the gardens will be a continuous process of change and renewal.
The treatment of the ruin and the gardens will be distinctive. In contrast
to many ruined sites, the Castle and its Gardens will not be sanitised or
restored. Instead, the romantic decay of the Castle and its Gardens will
be carefully preserved and, where possible enhanced. The visitor will be
invited to explore and understand the layers that man and nature have
imposed over centuries and to enjoy the beauty is inherent in the
abandoned site. A scholar of Wordsworth (whose father was the Steward at
Lowther) visited the gardens in August 2008 and remarked ...it is
ironic that despite years of neglect, the site now better evokes the
romantic ideal that inspired its construction than at any time in its
history...
The £15m project will be carbon neutral and will be implemented over four years. The first phase is planned to open to visitors in Summer 2009. In the following years there will be new features added as the Project develops. The process of transformation will itself be part of the appeal of the project and by 2012 the Castle and its Gardens will attract 150,000 visitors a year and provide 29 full time jobs within the attraction as well as many more across Cumbria.