Historic Carlton Towers reopens its doors after £500,000 facelift

AN 18th Century Gothic style house near Selby is set to reopen its doors after a £500,000 facelift.

Carlton Towers is home to the Gerald Fitzalan Howards who decided to turn the family’s 10 “rather tired private guest and junk room” into stunning bedrooms for use at weddings, conferences and shooting parties.

The transformation has been a labour of love for Lady Gerald Fitzalan Howard who searched the historic house for previously hidden away furniture and other antique items.

As well as finding cupboards full of beautiful china, Lady Gerald sourced additional items from ebay.

“This was my first foray into interior design and it was a daunting prospect,” she said.

“This house is awash with antiques and so I decided to work around the pieces that were here even using wardrobes, dressing tables and chairs from the private wing. In fact my husband is now without a dressing table because I have used it in The Clock Tower.”

She said that Carlton Towers had been a wedding and social venue in a small way for more than 20 years, but demand from shooting parties and weddings required additional accommodation, which was the catalyst for the new

“Early in 2008 the trustees agreed that they should bite the bullet and go for gold, then it was time for me to get cracking”, Lady Gerald added.