ROOMS in one of Barnard Castle’s oldest buildings, unseen by the public for more than half a century, will go on show this month.
The 500-year-old Blagraves House, previously a restaurant, was bought by businesswomen Louise and Eleanor Dinnes last year. The mother and daughter team reopened the venue in November as a combined interior shopping, informal dining establishment and cocktail bar – with visitors able to shop and relax in three rooms as well as the bar and courtyard.
With refurbishments complete to the third floor, rooms previously used as living accommodation are to be open to the public at the end of month. Ms Dinnes said: “It is the first time in about 60 years, or longer, that this level will be open to the public.
“There is so much stuff to see. The original plan was to have the third and fourth floors as accommodation but as we are grade I-listed that wasn’t possible.”
She added: “The dining room is going to be available for people to book for private meetings, functions and parties. It is more intimate than the banqueting hall and is so full of interesting things including the ceiling piece that Cromwell was offended by.”
The story goes that in 1648 during the suppression of a Royalist rebellion, Oliver Cromwell, England’s Lord Protector, dined at Blagraves.
It is said he was so upset by the third-floor ceiling stucco plasterwork – which includes a Yorkshire rose, the heraldic emblem of the royal House of York – that he ordered it was covered up.
Ms Dinnes added: “There is a beam that was originally from a ship. It truly was recycling in the 15th century. No one will have seen these things for such a long time as they were in the private quarters.
“We have done so much work decorating and there are just a few finishing touches that need to be put in. I had intended to set up the room next week, but I was so busy and when I got in two of my staff, Sam Nixon and Helen Gray, had done it beautifully.”
Ms Dinnes hopes the next two floors will be unveiled later in the year.
Blagraves is open between 10am and 5pm on Monday and Tuesday, from 10am until 10pm Wednesday to Saturday and 10am until 4pm on Sunday.
