But there is more to Muncaster than meets the eye. Besides the rumoured hauntings, the castle holds other enthralling throwbacks to the past.

Inside, there is a vast collection of furniture dating back hundreds of years; all telling a tale of what went before.

"I wish they could talk because they could tell us so much,” says Angela Butcher, as she tends to a chair from the 17th century.

Angela has been working since April on rejuvenating the castle’s array of chairs, stools, beds and even rocking horses.

The upholsterer has spent nearly 30 years in the trade but now she dedicates her time to making Muncaster’s history look magnificent.

"It is my dream job. Coming here everyday is amazing. Nothing has ever been thrown away,” she says.

“I have to pinch myself, the atmosphere is so nice to work in.

“This is my chance to give back to people and to the people who taught me the skills.”

The 62-year-old became a master upholsterer at Hereford College after originally taking night classes.

She says: “I bought an old cottage and couldn't afford to buy old furniture so I went to night classes to learn about upholstering.”

At the castle she is helping the current owner Iona Frost-Pennington and her husband Peter to create a legacy for future visitors.

“In the attic we have a huge range of furniture from different ages, going back to the 1500s,” says Angela.

“We put time capsules back into everything we restore. We're leaving a legacy now. In 200 or 300 years when people open up these chairs again they will know when they're from.”

Recently Angela has added a modern twist to a chair she was renovating for the family’s quarters.

In May, Peter Frost-Pennington saved the life of a newborn fawn after its heavily pregnant mother was hit by a car.

Mr Frost-Pennington, a qualified vet, delivered the fawn and he and Iona adopted her - naming her Twiggy.

“I've recently restored a chair and used fabric with three deer on to represent the story of Twiggy, who Peter reared after her mother died," says Angela.

“I also put in a book on poetry by Patrick Gordon-Duff-Pennington, Mrs Frost-Pennington’s father, which includes a poem about a deer.”

This dedication to her work is evident when talking to Angela. She enthuses about the history, the styles and the fabrics associated with each piece of furniture.

"We found one chair with a really valuable fabric - flame stitch bargello - and it is one of a set," she says.

"I found the rest and preserved it. We will reuse it on something else.

"I try to use what we have already got in the castle but a lot of materials aren't suitable because they aren't fire retardant."

Inside the bishop's tower bedroom, Angela has renovated Chippendale-style chairs and completed stripped, then restored, an old bed.

Her next project includes rehabilitating a rocking horse from the 1800s which has a broken leg and is in need of a new tail and saddle.

Everything Angela now restores is recorded in an archive so that the history of the castle is never forgotten.

She says: "We're starting to catalogue things, building a bigger picture of how old each piece is and where they came from. I ask Patrick a lot of questions as he is a mine of information."

However, the upholsterer faces a battle between restoration and conservation in order to truly save Muncaster's heritage.

"We can't over restore a piece," she says. "They need to be put back to how they were when they arrived at the castle."

Whether it is restoration or conservation, Angela's work is helping to preserve historic furniture so it can continue to tell its stories hundreds of years from now.

Angela's advice

For anyone inspired by Angela's work or interested in restoring an antique piece of furniture they own, she recommends seeking out a qualified upholsterer.

"Go to someone who knows what they're doing, a proper antique upholsterer," says Angela. "Ask to see their portfolio and gauge their work."

And she insists it is important to avoid taking a cheaper route if you want the job done properly.

"Don't go for a price just because it's cheap price. It can take weeks or months to get it right."