Repairs to the exterior of Norman Nicholson House in Millom have been completed on schedule – and a new look to the 140-year-old building has been revealed.
The £99,000 project to carry out vital repairs to the exterior of the house at 14 St George’s Terrace included installing a new slate roof, strengthening the chimney stack and dormer, replacing the windows, drainpipes and gutters, and returning the lay-out of the front of the building to its original design.
The house, lifetime home of the poet Norman Nicholson, was suffering badly from damp, missing slates and damaged timber and brickwork. Now it looks in great condition, boasting a brand-new appearance with the woodwork painted an eye-catching shade of pink as a nod to Millom’s past as the site of one of the world’s richest seams of haematite, something frequently referenced in Nicholson’s poetry.
Chair of the Nicholson House project Charlie Lambert said: ‘This is a massive step on the way towards fully reopening the house as a café, a place for small-scale community events, a Nicholson exhibition, and accommodation for a writer in residence and general tourists. Our aims are to celebrate Norman Nicholson’s outstanding writing and to make a genuine contribution to Millom and the surrounding area. We’re extremely grateful to South Copeland GDF Community Partnership and Cumberland Council for providing the funding to carry out the work.’
Now that the building is secure and weatherproof the project will seek further funding to renovate the interior, build an extension at the back, and fully equip the house for its future role.
