Reopened rooms will bring past back to life

IT’S one of Cardiff’s much-loved historical buildings and is a popular destination for tourists.

But the first floor of Insole Court has remained closed to the public for four decades – until now.

The abandoned rooms, which haven’t been seen since the 1970s, are now being reopened and the story of the Insole family and their triumphs and tragedies is being brought to life with an immersive exhibition, which uses a mix of technology and drama.

The 160-year old mansion in Llandaff, which recently hosted the first ever BITE food festival, has been gradually restored over the years.

The exhibition, called This House Is A Stage, is a dramatic rendition of the rise and the fall of the Insole family, who built and inhabited the mansion, spanning an entire century from their arrival in Cardiff in the 19th century.

The mansion is now in the hands of charity Insole Court Trust.

“As a trust, we are committed to the preservation and protection of Insole Court and its gardens for public benefit, education, well-being, social welfare and recreation,” said chairman Sir Norman Lloyd-Edwards.

“This new exhibition is a wonderful way to share the story of Insole Court with visitors and we invite the people of Cardiff and beyond to experience its past, and explore our history brought to life.”

The exhibition tells the Insole family story, which mirrors Cardiff’s rise and decline during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

The Insoles were pioneering coalshippers and mine owners, railwaymen and docksmen during the three generations of Welsh coal’s dominance of world industry. The family reached the height of its prosperity in the late 19th century having acquired large land holdings, central to which was their home, Insole Court.

This new exhibition is the culmination of the hard work carried out by the charity, researchers and community volunteers to share the stories and history of Insole Court. The immersive exhibition is a permanent one and each session lasts around 40 minutes.

Insole Court was closed to the public in December 2014 for a £4m restoration project, with the first phase being unveiled two years later.

Tickets to This House is a Stage cost £5 per adult and under-16s go free. Showings are every day from 10.30am until 4.30pm.