NATIONAL TRUST REOPENS
The National Trust reopens many of its historic houses to visitors from Monday after a long break
THE National Trust was hard hit by the coronavirus restrictions, forced to lay-off staff and restrict the opening of some properties even as lockdown eases. But it is coming back with a strong offering to visitors from Monday, celebrating some of its most precious pieces in the South West with an initiative entitled: Year of Treasures
National Trust houses across the South West – closed for months because of the pandemic – will start to reopen from Monday and welcome visitors back.
Staff and volunteers have been working hard behind the scenes to get properties ready to reopen safely with social distancing in place.
Some small properties or rooms which cannot accommodate social distancing will reopen later once Covid restrictions are lifted or when repair or redisplay work is completed.
Hilary McGrady, Director General, National Trust says, “This is a big moment that we have all looked forward to for months as we welcome people back safely, to spend time together at their favourite properties.
“Hundreds of our parks, gardens and countryside locations have already reopened, but we know how much our members and supporters have been looking forward to returning to see our houses and collections again.
“Our places are nothing without our visitors there to enjoy them and our staff and volunteers have been working hard behind the scenes, cleaning chandeliers, polishing floors and dusting books, to get everything ready. It is a matter of huge relief, pride and gratitude that the places in our care can start to reopen following closure due to the pandemic. Not a single place will be lost to the public. The cultural treasures that are our shared inheritance are waiting – for everyone.”
During the pandemic conservation work has continued in Trust’s houses across the South West, including at Montacute in Somerset where a portrait of William Phellps has been restored and cleaned.
At Dyrham Park in Gloucestershire The Trust will be redisplaying two rare 17th century Flemish tapestries which have returned following specialist conservation.
And at Newark Park in Gloucestershire a stained-glass window on the stairs was removed for conservation at Holy Well Glass conservation studio in Wells and was replaced on the Monday the UK we went into lockdown last March.
At Cotehele in Corn
wall the team erected scaffolding up in the Great Hall to allow the conservation team to get up high – even higher than the Christmas garland – to dust the rafters of the Great Hall ceiling.
At Castle Drogo in Devon, visitors will be able to see the Castle back once again to normal following extensive conservation work to make the building watertight.
Meanwhile Lanhydrock’s iconic main kitchen rooms have all been represented for the new season ahead designed to show the hustle and bustle of a country house kitchen
The reopening of houses also coincides with the Trust’s focus this year on its collections and the one million items it looks after, with many properties featuring in a new book celebrating 125 treasures in the charity’s care.
A highlight at Stourhead in Wiltshire is its heavily decorated 16th century Pope’s Cabinet. Following a year-long conservation project in 2006/7 Dudley Dodd and Simon Jervis wrote an epic volume about the cabinet which can be seen in the Cabinet Room.
Visitors to Greenway in Devon, former home of Queen of Crime Agatha Christie will be delighted to see that Humphrey the camel has returned. It was a gift to Ms Christie from her husband Max, and is one of the most important objects at the
property on the banks of the river Dart.
At Kingston Lacy in Dorset a life size bust of a commanding Roman male is on display, discovered in Alexandria in Egypt and brought to the property by Egyptologist William John Banks for his collection.
Back in Devon Buckland Abbey’s Rembrandt is safely back from his holidays. The picture spent lockdown in Amsterdam and will be back in the Georgian dining room at the property. The painting was on loan last year as part of a major exhibition at the Museum, De Lakenhal, Leiden, Netherlands At Knightshayes in Devon the Xanto plate which depicts a battle between the Romans and the Samnites will be on display in the morning room
At Dunster in Somerset, the painted leather hangings are arguably the rarest and most important pieces in Dunster’s collection. Telling the love story of Antony and Cleopatra, they are made of calfskin, embossed and painted to give a three-dimensional appearance.
Andy Beer, Director of Operations, National Trust said: “Our houses have been closed and treasured collections haven’t been seen for some time. But a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes. As a result of some of the changes we’ve had to make during the last year we have looked at new ways to present and share places and their individual stories, for example by introducing guided tours to bring them to life, as we have done for years with places like the Beatles’ houses and the Back to Backs. These tours will, we hope, give visitors a more in-depth experience and a personal welcome.”
Hilary McGrady added: “We could not reopen so many of our places or carry out essential conservation without the patience and support of our members, visitors, donors and government schemes throughout this pandemic. And we are enormously grateful to our volunteers for the roles they have played, and will be playing again, as they return to our properties.
“All the support we have received has made the difference to the National Trust being able to continue its work and ensure that our places remain here for everyone to enjoy.”
Go to www.nationaltrust. org.uk/lists/indoor-daysout-in-the-south-west