As Cumbria commemorated the Coronation of King Charles III, Rose Castle, near Dalston, had its own regal connections to celebrate.

Rose Castle’s royal connections span nearly 800 years. Walter Mauclerk, the fourth Bishop of Carlisle and the first to reside at Rose Castle, was granted the Lordship of the Manor of Dalston by King Henry III in 1230 as a reward for his position as Treasurer of the King’s Exchequer.

Mauclerk was also involved in peace negotiations with Scotland, paralleling the Rose Castle Foundation, which facilitates Peace and Reconciliation programmes to groups from around the globe.

The early Bishops entertained many a King and Queen at Rose Castle on account of the royal hunting grounds in the forest of Dalston, reputedly the best in the land.

The current Bishop of Carlisle, James Newcome, is the first Bishop not to reside at Rose Castle. He does, however, have strong links with Rose Castle, as a founding member and co-chair of the Rose Castle Foundation.

News and Star: Bishop James is retiring in the summerBishop James is retiring in the summer (Image: Carlisle Cathedral)As a Lord Bishop, he had a visible role in the Coronation of Charles III, alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who crowned the new Monarch.

READ MORE: Carlisle man tells of surreal experience at 'mind-blowing' Coronation

Bishop James is the present Clerk of the Closet, a notable role with responsibility for advising King Charles’ Private Secretary on matters relating to the Roll of Chaplains to the Sovereign.

Bishop James is not the first Bishop of Carlisle to have coronation connections, John Kite, who was appointed the twenty-ninth Bishop of Carlisle in 1521, was Royal Chaplain and attended both the funeral of King Henry VII and the Coronation of King Henry VIII.

Owen Oglethorpe, the thirty-first Bishop of Carlisle, had the unique privilege of crowning none other than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I.

Rose Castle was purchased in 2016 to support the work of the Foundation, which was founded by Canon Sarah Snyder.

Benefitting from a multi-million renovation programme, the castle can be hired as an exclusive venue for weddings, private celebrations, and corporate events.