CLIFFE Castle Museum now has an important new exhibit thanks to a chance find during a property restoration in Keighley.

Showfield resident Shahid Rasool, of Rasool Brothers Property Investment, stumbled upon a large stone monument in a basement while refurbishing a house in Knowle Park.

After realising that the memorial referred to a member of the Butterfield family, he contacted Cliffe Castle Park Conservation Group and offered the historic stone as a gift to the attraction.

Mr Rasool said: “I’m 39 now and I’ve used the park since I was a kid, so it’s good to be able to give something back.

“The memorial is solid and very heavy. It took four lads to lift it. They came and collected it in a van to take it to Cliffe Castle.

“It doesn’t matter how much the stone is worth, as it’s something that deserves to be back with the museum. I’m really pleased that it’s there.”

The impressive, carved marble plaque commemorates Sarah, who was the mother of Henry Isaac Butterfield and grandmother of Sir Frederick Butterfield, the Victorian millionaires and textile manufacturers, whose home was Cliffe Castle.

Members of the park’s conservation group worked with the Cliffe Castle Museum and Parks teams to arrange for the monument to be moved to Cliffe Castle, where it underwent cleaning and restoration.

A conservation group spokesman said: “Thanks to Mr Rasool, for recognising the memorial stone and generously giving it to Cliffe Castle, the monument can now be viewed in the conservatory of Cliffe Castle Museum.

“The Cliffe Castle Support Group has recently formed, bringing together Cliffe Castle Park Conservation Group and the Friends of the Cliffe Castle Museum to support Cliffe Castle as one group.

“Henry Isaac Butterfield made no distinction between his house and his pleasure grounds and now neither do we.

“Our group is interested in all aspects of the museum and park. It is free to join and open to all.

“If people are interested in hearing more, they can contact us by e-mailing Cliffecastle.spprtgroup18@gmail.com or ask for a joining form at the museum reception.”

There will be an opportunity to meet members of the group on December 9 at the Christmas at the Castle event. Father Christmas and his reindeer will be present at the museum between 11.30am and 1pm and 2pm and 3.30pm on the day.

Cliffe Castle Support Group has arranged a free talks series, which is open to all, and takes place at the museum during 2019.

Local historian Ian Dewhirst, a member of the support group, will launch the series with a talk on “Aspects of Keighley Hospital History’ at 1.30 pm on Saturday January 19 next year. Places are limited so people wanting to attend need to book in advance.

To reserve a place call in at Cliffe Castle, ring 01535 618231 or e-mail cliffe.castle@bradford.gov.uk