Project update: August 2009 : Cumbria County Council

The restoration of Lady Gillford’s House is now well advanced. The treatment of dry and wet rot is nearing completion, and the electrical and heating systems are now installed and awaiting testing. Provision of the disabled access to the first floor of the house has been started. Most rooms have now been decorated according to a scheme based on a study of the décor dating back to the 19th century, and it is now possible to get a sense of the former glory of this very attractive historic building.

In the new extension, the steel frame is now complete. The strongroom has now been tanked for waterproofness, and the rails for the mobile shelving are being installed. The exterior walls of the concrete strongroom are being faced in lignacite for a more attractive external finish. The installation of the curtain walling and glazing is coming on well, and the roof is nearing completion.

The Archive Service staff have started the detailed planning of the move of millions of historic documents to the site next year. The new office will provide a single access point for all the current Carlisle-based archive collections. The archive offices in Barrow, Kendal and Whitehaven will continue to operate to provide local access to collections relating to other areas of the county.