A whirlwind of activity at Dumfries House

Posted 19th May 2008 15:44pm by Mike Schafer

By Mike Schafer, Chief Executive of The Great Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust

Since taking up the reigns of Dumfries House in January, I have been caught up in a whirlwind of activity to prepare the house for the public opening in the summer. A great deal has been achieved since the house was purchased last year by the consortium, led by HRH The Prince of Wales, but there is still much more to do. We’re also very keen to involve the local community and recently held a public consultation on the plans for the development of related land.

The house itself is one of the most architecturally significant stately homes within the UK. It was designed by the renowned 18th Century architect brothers John, Robert and James Adam, and was built between 1754 and 1760 for the 5th Earl of Dumfries. What is of equal importance is the furniture collection, as here we hold the most important collection of works from Thomas Chippendale’s Director period.

Most of these pieces remain in their original position in the house and are all stunning items. No other museum or country house can match the content and quality of our collection and makes the preservation of Dumfries House even more pertinent for Scottish cultural history. The BBC will be filming an episode of the Antiques Roadshow here later in the year and I’m sure they’ll have plenty of delights to discover within the house alone.

It’s incredibly exciting to see the plans coming together and will be such a satisfying moment for all of us involved to see the first visitors come through the doors. I personally can’t wait for everyone to see with their own eyes just how special Dumfries House is…

Click here to visit The Great Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust website.
 

BBC One Antiques Roadshow at Dumfries House

Posted 15th December 2008 18:00pm

Earlier this year the BBC One Antiques Roadshow team visited Dumfries House, filming for its 31st series. Fiona Bruce, the Roadshow's new presenter, was joined by some of Britain's leading antiques and fine arts specialists. Over 1500 visitors made their way to the event clutching family heirlooms and household treasures. Watch BBC One this Sunday, 21st December, to see Dumfries House featured on the programme.