The Pennington Family

Muncaster Castle, complete with all its beauties and liabilities, was handed over to my wife Phyllida, by her father, Sir William Pennington-Ramsden in 1983 when we left Scotland and made it our permanent home. Now it lives entirely through the warmth and understanding which visitors bring to it during the summer months. It is important to our family and the house that it should be regarded as an integral part of the life of West Cumberland, and not as an isolated enclave within less privileged surroundings. The lands were granted to Alan de Penitone in 1208, and fifty years later a castle was built by Gamel de Mulcastre. This was enlarged in the next century when a pele tower was erected on Roman foundations, part of its fabric being incorporated in the south-west tower. A coin from the time of Emperor Theodosius (AD380) has been found, and there is also a Victor ring.

In 1464 Sir John Pennington gave shelter to Henry VI, wandering after the Battle of Hexham. Many years later, in 1783, John, Lord Muncaster erected the tower known as Chapels to commemorate the place where the fugitive King was supposed to have been found by the shepherds. The legend tells how Holy King Harry on his departure left his drinking bowl behind in gratitude, saying that as long as it should remain quite whole and unbroken the Penningtons would live and thrive in the place. Today the bowl is still intact and is known as the 'Luck of Muncaster'. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the family married well. In 1783 there was a vacancy in the Irish Peerage and the fifth Baronet was created first Baron Muncaster. He was a friend of Pitt and long a Member of Parliament. He carried out extensive renovations, planting most of the large hardwood trees. It was he who started the present library. He was succeeded by his brother, General Lowther Pennington, who in his youth was a hot head. While serving in America he killed a man in a duel called for a "foolish quarrel about humming a tune".

Shortly before his death in 1862, his grandson Gamel Augustus, fourth Lord Muncaster instructed Anthony Salvin, whose main interest was military architecture, and who was very fashionable, to update the house. Salvin covered the courtyard, built by first Lord Muncaster, converting it into the present Drawing Room, with its much-admired barrel ceiling which was the work of two Italian plasterers. It was redecorated in 1958 by Lady Pennington-Ramsden.

In 1917, Gamel's brother, the fifth and last Lord Muncaster died and the estate reverted to his mother's family, the Ramsdens, who had played a notable part in the history of Yorkshire. With them they brought many of their possessions, including the Ramsden family portraits. In those days the estate still extended to 23,000 acres. Today there are only 1,800 acres left, but within that land still lies the Castle of Muncaster and we hope that those of you who come into that magic circle will feel warmed by the atmosphere which surrounds it. Those who come are all important to the family, for without your understanding we could not continue. There is a place in Argyll where they have written over the door "The ornaments of a house are the friends who frequent it". To those who visit Muncaster we hope you will realise that all of us feel exactly the same about you.

Patrick Gordon-Duff-Pennington