Castle Drogo Inside Out

A series of installations at Castle Drogo, Dartmoor, a solid granite edifice designed by Edwin Lutyens. The last castle to built in the UK, it is now managed by the National Trust.

Castle Drogo was commissioned in 1911 on the eve of momentous social change and completed in 1930 as further changes were about to occur. Our installations explore these changes in society, through the stories of the Drewe family who lived there, and of those such as Lutyens who were involved in the castle’s construction.

Later on, we have three spaces in which we look at the natural world around Dartmoor – and specifically how we as humans experience it.

Each of these three installations is inspired by a different way of understanding the natural world: firstly a pre-Modern landscape full of legends and dreams; secondly a Romantic view of Sublime wilderness; and finally today’s rational approach towards conservation and management. These sentiments also mirror the story of Castle Drogo: from its founding vision as a castle in the woods; through the challenge of maintaining it against the elements; to recognising the National Trust’s custodianship as an integral part of the Castle’s story.

A Dovetail Foundry project with filmmaker Joanna Coates.