Great Estates Scotland is a four part PBS series. Recently, I watched the episode on Dumfries House.
It was excellent, I am so impressed with Prince Charles and his desire to preserve this house and its amazing Chippendale furnishings. In addition to the preservation, he wanted to give opportunity for training and employment to those living in the area. Listening to the head curator, Prince Charles and the locals whose lives have been dramatically changed by having a job and/or training is inspiring.
The following is information from the Prince of Wales' website.
Dumfries House is an 18th Century Robert Adam designed stately home, which houses an unrivalled, fully documented collection of rococo furniture by Thomas Chippendale and three 18th Century Scottish cabinetmakers.
The house is situated in East Ayrshire, 30 miles from Glasgow, and is nestled in a 2000 acre estate which balances historic landscape features with active farming and forestry.
Threatened with sale and dispersal in 2007 Dumfries House was saved for the nation by HRH, The Prince Charles, The Duke of Rothesay (as The Prince is known in Scotland) who led a consortium of organisations and individuals in a passionate campaign for its rescue.
From the outset the Trust had two main objectives; first, to launch Dumfries House as a public visitor attraction and, second, to create an infrastructure which would act as a catalyst for the socio-economic, cultural, and educational regeneration of this part of Scotland.
The entire episode may be viewed here.
