Victorian eco-home in £1.8m battle against global warning

Victorian eco-home in £1.8m battle against global warning Cragside in Northumberland was the first home in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity but this historic symbol of eco-friendly power needs repairs as to the roof to beat the threat from El Nino One of Britain's most famous Victorian stately homes needs a £1.8m roof repair to protect against the impact of global warming. Cragside, which looks from a distance like a Disney castle in the heart of Northumberland, was built by engineering pioneer Lord William Armstrong in 1863. It was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. But this historic symbol of eco-friendly power needs huge repairs after years of damage from extreme weather - caused by global warming. The sprawling mansion famously became the first house in the world powered by water, using estate lakes to generate electricity through a 17m (56ft) turbine - called The Archimedes screw. Experts predict a "supersized" El Nino later this year could unleash huge storms and a bitterly cold winter. And that has left workers with a race against time to fix slipped slate tiles and crumbling render before the weather turns. An "enormous scaffold" now stretches across the front of the property as part of a major conservation project to repair and renovate the roof. The National Trust admit the magnificent property was never designed for today's "very different" longer, damper winters and more frequent storms. Property curator Clara Woolford warned the roof was "really vulnerable" to wind damage and torrential rain. She said: "We've got Victorian-size gutters and we're now getting more water than those gutters can handle. When we get a heavy downpour, the gutters become overwhelmed. Water that is not diverted seeps into the building, becoming a problem for our historic interiors and the collection." The two-year project will see scaffolding climb to the roof, which stands 85ft (26m) high at its highest point. Work on the free-standing structure will only pause during Cragside bat breeding season. Last year conservators made a remarkable discovery when they uncovered graffiti bearing the names of the house's original joiners, later tracing them through census records. The project is being funded by the National Trust alongside grants from the Wolfson Foundation and Sylvia Waddilove Charitable Trust