A 400-YEAR-OLD visitor atraction is undergoing some very modern developments.
Winter work at Kiplin Hall house and gardens, between Richmond and Northallerton, has included the extension of the estate’s ground source heating system, to include cottages on the estate.
The pipes for the system, which works by harnessing heat from underground, rather than burning fuel, lie beneath the lake in the grounds, working happily alongside the wildife.
The museum and gardens are run by an independent charity supported by a small team of staff and a band of volunteers, and being ecologically conscious is an important aspect of the long-term running of the hall and gardens.
Director James Etherington said: “We endeavour to improve the environment at Kiplin whenever possible, making as small a carbon foot print as we can during our work.
“This ground source heating system also has the advantage of being self-sustaining, which is helpful given our rural location which can make access to mains services like gas difficult, or a reliance on oil deliveries.”
The additional capacity for the heating system being installed this winter, as part of the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive, will allow cottages on the estate to join the historic hall and be heated by this green method.
Various cottages on the estate are occupied by tenants, which provides another income stream for the charity managing the estate.
The heating of the historic property is not just a matter of comfort, but also plays an important role in maintaining the environmental conditions inside the historic house, and its collection, and that collection has expanded following a recent acquisition.
Alice Rose, project officer, is in charge of the new collection and plans to display it in spring 2021.
She said: “The Annie Marchant Collection of Victorian Kitchen and Dairy objects will help the museum tell the stories of how a house like Kiplin operated during its heyday, as well as exploring how and why individuals and museums collect, care for, and share their treasures.”
To ensure a safe environment for the collection the ambient temperature and humidity of store rooms and exhibition spaces need to be carefully maintained.
This is all done at Kiplin using modern green technologies.
The ground source heating takes advantage of the earth’s natural warmth provided by radiation from the sun. Heat stored in the earth can be transferred to buildings via a heat exchange loop. No burning of fossil fuels is required.
Under normal circumstances Kiplin’s gardens were due to reopen on Friday, February 5, followed by the hall on Friday, March 5. As a result of the current lockdown these plans are now under review. Check details at www.kiplinhall.co.uk.
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