The National Trust (NT) has now completed the three year project restoring Mount Stewart in County Down, costing £8 million and involving volunteers, staff and specialist contractors.
The National Trust (NT) writes:
Mount Stewart, on the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down, is now open after a three-year, £8 million restoration project involving 200 volunteers. The work included reinvigorating the world-famous garden, extensive repairs to the house and the creation of new displays.
The transformation has seen nearly every room in the house redecorated following extensive repairs to the plasterwork. Previously unopened rooms including the butler’s silver store and billiard room will also be on show for the first time.
Hundreds of new items will be on display including internationally significant pieces on loan from the Estate of the Marquess of Londonderry. These include 11 family portraits by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), arguably one of the greatest British portrait painters of the early 19th century. Amongst the striking items on display is the Congress of Vienna Desk, thought to have been used at the signing of the Treaties of Paris and Vienna in 1814 and 1815. The Congress aimed to create a long-term peace plan for Europe following the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
Garden lovers will also be able to delight in the reinvigorated garden which has been carefully replanted to reflect the formal gardens created by Edith, Lady Londonderry. Lady Edith’s vibrant designs mean Mount Stewart is among the world’s most celebrated gardens. A new fernery has been created and the next few years will also see the restoration of the walled garden which will include replanting the rose garden and restoring the old dairy and glasshouse. Lady Edith cherished her roses and used to dry rose petals in her pot-pourri room.
The reopening of Mount Stewart is the culmination of years of team work. ‘It’s taken hundreds of people to bring our vision for this grand house to life including builders, joinery apprentices and expert conservators and curators’ said Jon Kerr, our manager at Mount Stewart. ‘We also couldn’t have done it without our 200 volunteers who have helped with every aspect of the project including the restoration of fabrics and furniture,’ added Jon. ‘They will also play a huge role in welcoming many more visitors over the coming months and years.’
The exciting project brings a unique family home back to its former glory. ‘It showcases the history of this special place and offers a fascinating insight into the life of the Stewart family,’ said Jon. ‘We couldn’t have done it without the generosity of the Marquess of Londonderry who made it possible for so many items to return to Mount Stewart. It is an enormous pleasure to see this family home restored and reinvigorated,’ said Lady Rose Lauritzen, Lady Edith’s granddaughter. ’I believe it is the single most important contribution to improve the presentation of this house since my grandmother made it her principle residence in the 1920s. I look forward to seeing the hallways and rooms filled with people once again.’
