The Project
Oculus have been involved in the extensive works been done throughout Castle Drogo since 2013. The Grade 1 listed castle in Devon was constructed of granite and built between the years of 1911 and 1930, and designed by Edwin Lutyens. Castle Drogo was the last castle to be built in England.
The Approach
The castle is part way through a series of repairs which are expected to take around 5 years. The recent Phase 2 works were to make the building watertight, carry out structural repairs and improve the fire safety of the building, costing in the region of £5 million. The building suffered from extensive water damage for years where the roof leaked, where pointing was inadequate and around windows. These works addressed these issues by meticulously removing the battlements and resealing the roof before re-installing these elements as well as replacing rotten timbers which had been saturated over time. In a large number of areas the outer skin of granite had to be removed in order to install damp proofing measures to prevent moisture bridging through from the outside, a common problem on an exposed Devon hilltop.
Inside the building there was a new fire strategy devised and implemented which included a new fire alarm and detection system throughout.
Oculus are delighted to soon be working with the team again on Phase 3 of the project, this will incorporate the final sections of the building not yet upgraded and will result in a much safer, much improved and watertight building.
Photos Courtesy of National Trust