JB Shingles take Warwick Castle guests back in time

Marley’s JB Western Red Cedar Shingles have been specified for the roofs of 28 new medieval-themed lodges at Warwick Castle.

The unique additions to the popular tourist attraction give visitors the chance to experience the medieval age like never before.

The brand new lodges were designed by Willerby Bespoke, a business dedicated to the design, manufacture and installation of timber frame buildings, to give guests a truly medieval experience, which also complemented the existing medieval ‘glamping’ accommodation and castle surroundings.

Willerby Bespoke designed the lodges, including the Knight’s Lodge; a two-storey mezzanine design, meaning that installation and stitching the roofs together was more complex and had to be completed on site.

With approval from Warwick Castle, Willerby Bespoke specified JB Shingles for the lodges due to the robust finish they deliver, and the reassurance provided by the accreditation to the Certi-Grade quality assurance label, as certified by the Cedar Shingle and Shake Bureau (CSSB). Shingles also require low maintenance and blend into the heritage surroundings, so were deemed an ideal choice.

Furthermore, cedar shingles also have one of the lowest carbon footprints of any widely used building product, representing a net carbon sink upon delivery, which means more carbon is stored in the shingle than is emitted during its harvest, manufacture and transportation combined. In addition, shingles are light to transport, and quick to install on site, while also offering a high degree of thermal insulation - all factors which were important to the project designers.

Phil Parks, lead commercial manager at Willerby Innovations, the parent company of Willerby Bespoke, comments: “At Willerby we specialise creating unique designs and builds, but this is the first time we created a lodge that involved us stepping back in time.

“It was crucial the new lodges were designed sensitively to blend into the ancient forest and we needed a long-life durable solution that was straightforward to fix. The lodges will be used for short stay accommodation, meaning members of the public will be able to get into the full spirit of their trip to Warwick Castle and embrace the medieval theme.

“The actual manufacturing of the lodges began in February 2016, with the final lodge delivered to site in May, ensuring the project was finished within plenty of time for the official opening. In commercial projects such as this, the lightweight nature of JB Shingles, together with their ease of installation, play an important role in ensuring we are able to meet the deadlines.”

JB Shingles are also available with MicroPro treatment, a clear treatment that protects against wood rotting fungi and insect attack, while allowing the shingles to weather naturally without staining and can extend their lifespan to 40 years.