• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Monday, June 16, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

  • Sport
    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    £37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Tebay’s plans for battery storage unit

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Pub landlord must remove Covid canopy

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

    Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

  • Sport
    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Lowther Castle set to host display of 10,000 ceramic daffodils

by Andrew Keogh
4 March 2023
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The ceramic daffodils at Lowther Castle will raise funds for charities

A bold and bright display of 10,000 ceramic daffodils will provide a dazzling attraction for visitors to Lowther Castle over a two-month period starting on 24th April.

Spearheading the project is Dockray-based ceramic artist Helen Ratcliffe, who has taken inspiration from the poetry of William Wordsworth and his celebration of daffodils on the shores of Ullswater.

It is hoped the venture will raise £300,000 for six deserving charities – Another Way, Sunbeams Music Trust, Ullswater Catchment Management CIC and Friends of the Ullswater Way, plus the New Horizon Youth Centre and James’ Place.

The aim is to support smaller charities which do not currently receive significant exposure or funds. These charities have also been carefully chosen to reflect the overall aims of the project, covering all aspects of social needs, environment, history and arts.

Helen, who is not being paid for the project, said: “In a similar vein to the 2014 Tower of London poppies, I will be making 10,000-plus ceramic daffodils as per Wordsworth’s famous poem.

“Wordsworth was inspired to write his famous poem I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud during a walk at Glencoyne Park on the edge of Ullswater with his sister at the turn of the 19th Century.

“In the poem, he talks of ‘Ten thousand saw I at a glance’. So my plan is to create 10,000 daffodils.

“They will be planted at the magnificent Lowther Castle, near Penrith, and on the Ullswater Way route, for viewing from April. After the display ends at Lowther, the daffodils will be sold.”

She added: “Lowther Castle is an incredible partner for this project, providing a spectacular location and supporting me with a production site, marketing support and invaluable input from a team with extensive experience of working on such installations.

 “Lowther has many stories that marry it closely to my project, not least the ‘Yellow Earl’, and its world record of planting 106,526 real daffodils in 2012.”

In addition to the 10,000 daffodils, Helen is also making ten giant daffodil heads and has begun inviting notable potters to glaze them. These large daffodil heads will be auctioned off to support a charity of the potters’ choice at a gala dinner with both a live and online auction.

“I have a brilliant team of friends from Matterdale helping me on this project and we are starting to move forward on many parts of it together,” said Helen.

On Sunday, the ceramic daffodils made an appearance on Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend ITV show.

They were featured as part of a segment which showcased all the different types of daffodils which exist.

TV horticulturalist Camilla Bassett-Smith hosts a monthly garden calendar on the popular show with the focus this time being on spring bulbs and daffodils.

She told ITV viewers the ceramic daffodils were part of a charity campaign, called 10,000 daffodils, a little bit like the poppies, which was really lovely.

“It is lovely seeing the ceramics and the actual plants themselves — the stars,” she said.

Thanks to an incredible army of volunteers — approximately 350 and counting — most of the daffodils have already been assembled. They are now being glazed and fired in a building on the Lowther Estate.

While the event itself will not raise money, sales of the individual daffodils will. Each ceramic flower is available to buy and purchasers will receive them in July, once the installation has been taken down.

Daffodils can be bought via www.tenthousanddaffodils.org/shop

A spokesman said: “Ten Thousand Daffodils would like to thank all its sponsors for helping to make this amazing event take place: The Quiet Site; Ullswater Way Cottages; IJ Curry and Son Builders; AW Jenkinson; Northern Kilns; Valentine Clays; Hadfield Trust; Greenlight Packaging; Rheged; Tebay Services.” 

Related Posts

Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown
Expert advice

Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

15 June 2025
Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith
News

Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

13 June 2025
£37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads
Latest

£37.7 million to tackle potholes and upgrade roads

13 June 2025
Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair
News

Over £38,000-worth of fake goods seized at Appleby Horse Fair

13 June 2025
New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed
News

New bid for Appleby stallion sculpture revealed

13 June 2025
18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire
Food and Drink

18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

13 June 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

18th century Eden pub sold as owners retire

13 June 2025
£900 raised for Zambia neonatal unit

£900 raised for Zambia neonatal unit

13 June 2025
Take a walk down memory lane

Take a walk down memory lane

13 June 2025
Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

13 June 2025
Innocent drivers get caught up in police stinger operation

Innocent drivers get caught up in police stinger operation

13 June 2025
Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

Flower fairies of Kirkby Stephen brighten people’s day

13 June 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald