Charlecote Park undergoes £1.8m refurbishment

Charlecote Park has received upgrades to its heating systems to help preserve the building's history

A 16th Century country house has undergone a £1.8m refurbishment to help preserve its history.

Charlecote Park, in Warwickshire, features a Grade I listed home set in a 180-acre (73-hectare) deer park.

The building was built in 1558, but revamped considerably by wealthy owners in the Victorian period.

A new environmentally friendly heating system has been installed, while period radiators were restored.

An upgraded fire alarm system has also been introduced as part of additional safety measures, while an all-weather road surface has been laid to improve visitor access, the National Trust said.

Electric vehicle charging points are also being installed in the visitor car park.

General Manager Rebecca Watson said the team were "thrilled" to have benefitted from upgrades to the property, which would help to protect its paintings and heritage.

"Many of the paintings and other cultural artefacts that were collected by our initial Victorian owners George Hammond Lucy and his wife, on their European travels, were at risk of becoming damaged by mould and pests," she said.

The new biomass boiler, powered by sustainably-grown wooden pellets is expected to save the equivalent of 140 tonnes of CO2 a year.

"Climate change is the single biggest threat to precious properties like ours due to the fluctuating temperatures, so we are thrilled to have benefited from this investment as it will also reduce our reliance on using gas and oil," Ms Watson said.

The estate, which contains 4,000 historical artefacts, had been the home of the Lucy family since the 13th Century and was acquired by the National Trust in 1945.

The present house, was rebuilt in the 1500s by Thomas Lucy and his wife, Joyce, from Worcestershire, and once hosted Queen Elizabeth I in the Drawing Room when she visited in 1572.

Based on the banks of the River Avon, the property also contains a period library, a Victorian kitchen, brewhouse, carriage collection and gardens.