Apartments mark renaissance for Allerton Castle
HISTORIC Allerton Castle is rising from the ashes following a devastating fire.
The castle’s owners, the Gerard Arthur Rolph Foundation for Historic Preservation and Education, has spent the past four years restoring and refurbishing a number of executive apartments that were being created when they were destroyed by the blaze at the Yorkshire landmark.
Allerton Castle, which is located in 200 acres of parkland and formal gardens between Harrogate and York, is said to be the inspiration for the nursery rhyme ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’.
Badly damaged when fire swept through more than half of the property in January 2005 – causing the marriage of Liverpool and England star Jamie Carragher to be rescheduled – the castle is now offering home-hunters the rare chance to rent a piece of history.
The Foundation has appointed letting specialist Linley & Simpson to market the apartments as they are completed through its Wetherby, Harrogate and York branches.
Will Linley, of Linley & Simpson, said: “The restoration of the apartments mark the next chapter in the castle’s long history and we are delighted to have been asked to handle such a prestigious letting opportunity.
“Since launching 12 years ago, we have completed more than 20,000 lets – but few which boast the amount of Yorkshire heritage as Allerton Park.
“The apartments have been restored to an excellent standard whilst retaining the original character – and the views are breathtaking. Each one offers people the chance to rent a piece of history.”
Allerton Park was owned in the 19th Century by Prince Frederick Augustus, the brother to King George VI and also known as ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’.
Local legend suggests that the ant-like activity of the Duke’s men constructing the majestic Temple of Victory at the top of the 200-feet Allerton Hill within the estate was the inspiration for the famous nursery rhyme telling the tale of the Duke and his 10,000 men.
More recently, the historic castle became a bomber command centre for the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II.
The castle was bought by American millionaire Gerald Rolph in 1983.
Dr Rolph, a former vice-president of the Tandy electronics corporation, saved the grade one-listed mansion from dereliction and has made it his life’s work to restore the building to its former glory, setting up a charitable trust to secure its future.
The restoration had been almost completed before the fire, which destroyed the oak-panelled dining room, state bedroom and Venetian bedroom after a chimney fire tore through the attic and roof.
The first property to be offered through Linley & Simpson is a third-floor apartment with two double bedrooms, lounge, dining room/bedroom three, kitchen, bathroom and separate utility room. It is available for a monthly rent of £1,000.
