Restorers take care not to disturb the colonies of bats in a fake castle
CONSERVATION WORK on an 18th century fake castle is being coordinated to make sure it does not disturb its resident bats.
Work began earlier this year on restoring the turret of the Grade II-listed Stainborough Castle, in Wentworth Castle Gardens, near Barnsley.
The National Trust, which cares for the site jointly with Barnsley Council, says the work is being carefully co-ordinated to minimise the impact on the castle’s resident colonies of bats.
Specialist bat boxes have been erected for the four residing species and a dedicated ecologist is at the castle each day to ensure the creatures are not disturbed.
Robert Bell, principal ecologist advising the project, said: “The castle surroundings offer an abundance of eating options and offer the bats lots of different dark and dry places to rest up within.”
Three boxes will protect the brown long-eared bat, noctule, common pipistrelle and Natterer’s bat species, which use resting places (roosts) within the castle. Mr Bell, 38, added: “All bat resting places within the castle will either be kept or re-created.
“We are going to great lengths with the hope that we will protect all the features that make the castle great for bats long into the future.”
The work on the castle, funded by Barnsley Council, is expected to last around five months.
Stainborough Castle was built by Thomas Wentworth in 1708 to impress his friends and visitors following a feud with family members at the nearby stately home, Wentworth Woodhouse.
It was built to give the impression that the building had been in his family for generations, rather than a new addition at the time.
The castle surroundings offer an abundance of eating options. Robert Bell, principal ecologist advising the project.