The Stannah Stairiser CR (Curved Rail) wheelchair platform lift is supporting the mobility requirements of Castle Howard in North Yorkshire – the stately home of the Howard family for over 300 years.

To cater for visitors of all mobility levels, Castle Howard has a comprehensive accessibility policy. This comprises many elements including car parking, a hearing loop, on-site manual wheelchairs and the Stannah Stairiser CR wheelchair platform lift.

This disabled lift takes visitors up the Grand Staircase to the main floor of the House and to most of the rooms. The lift provides discreet, efficient movement for mobility compromised people, either one person in a wheelchair or a person seated on the lift seat provided.

The curved rail allows this access lift to navigate the staircase that rises in two stages, with a linking level that lends a natural grace to the incline and where visitors can stop to admire the family portraits lining the walls.

When not in use, the folding platform and barrier arm ensure that the lift compacts away neatly and leaves the stairway free for pedestrian use.

Built-in safety features mean it's impossible to operate the lift until the barrier arms and ramps are folded in place.

Easy-to-use constant-pressure controls allow the lift-users to operate it independently.

The lift stops automatically at the upper and lower landings and the intuitive controls allow the user to stop the lift at any time.

The lift was installed in just a few days, ahead of time and budget—in time for Christmas 2019.

Matthew Nicholson, Head of Commercial Operations at Castle Howard, explains why they replaced their ageing existing stairlift with the Stannah Stairiser CR:

“We approached three main suppliers, including the company who were maintaining the existing lift for us. All of the suppliers had experience in installing stairisers into Grade I-listed buildings. Stannah is recognised as a UK market leader in this area and was the most competitively priced. The schedule of works from point of ordering was also a key issue and Stannah was able to meet our timescales.”

“In keeping with English Heritage guidelines, our conservation architect, curator and the Howard family insisted that no further drill holes were made into the historic and protected Grand Staircase. Stannah was very open to this and installed the lift stanchions to the fixing points of its predecessor. Stannah also closely matched the lift colour with the natural stone walls.”

“Accessibility is key to the visitor experience and so the Stannah Stairiser CR has had a huge impact on the enjoyment and ease with which visitors with mobility restriction can experience the wonders of Castle Howard and its collection of art and antiquities.