A THREE-hundred-year-old bedspread that belonged to King James II is to be displayed for the first time in its history.

The Strickland family of Sizergh Castle, near Kendal, was gifted the 17th century embroidered satin as a thank you for its loyalty to the Crown, said the National Trust.

Sir Thomas and Winifred Strickland were considered close friends of the king and queen, having accompanied them in 1688 to France in exile.

Sizergh’s collection includes many of the gifts the family received in gratitude, including a lock of the king’s hair and the queen’s collection of Imari porcelain.

The lavish bedspread hails from Goa, India, originally and is stitched with gold thread into an intricate design of mythical creatures.

Visitors to Sizergh will be able to find out how the delicate fabric is cared for. A specialist textile conservator will be working on the cover in the coming months, said Lucy Tickle, senior marketing and communications officer.

The castle will also be shining a light on another of the fabric items in its collection - a complete set of five 17th-century Antony and Cleopatra Flemish tapestries.

Later this year the first tapestry in the set - The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra - will travel to Belgium for urgent specialist treatment to restore its colour and condition.

The five wall hangings depict Plutarch’s, and subsequently Shakespeare’s, famous stories and are the largest surviving weaving of this series in the world, said Lucy.

The treatment for this one tapestry will cost £77,000, so the castle will be raising funds through raffle tickets and donations this year.

Sizergh Castle is open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm; the gardens and café are open seven days a week.