Wire free fire detection chosen for Banwell Castle
29 June 2011

An 18th century castle in Somerset has been fitted with a wireless fire detection system by Detectomat.

Banwell Castle fitted with Detectomat system
Banwell Castle, which is run as a bed and breakfast, was fitted with the Detectomat SRC 3000.

The alarm has been designed to be heard through dense materials, including thick castle walls.

The building’s owners, the Parsons family, also specified a wireless system to maintain the aesthetics of the Gothic building.

Selected by Argus Fire Protection, the system includes optical smoke detectors with integral sounders, break-glass call points and heat detectors.

A spokesman from Detectomat said: “The stone walls are so thick that there is no chance of a mobile phone signal and they knew that they had to be able to hear any alarm through the thick walls – the Detectomat alarm can be heard all over the building. Furthermore, they were determined to avoid unsightly wiring which would mar the beautiful stone interiors.”

A fire at the castle in 1905 took firefighters two days to extinguish.