I’ll be completely honest, when I started this blog and my tour of National Trust properties, I thought there might be properties where I would think ‘oh good, another stately home full of ugly paintings and furniture I’m not allowed to sit on. Yippee’.
So I’ve been pleasantly surprised that in five months, that thought hasn’t even crossed my mind. Each house seems to have it’s own personality and feel to it, and therefore is distinctly different.
Dudmaston Hall is a hall of three parts to me: the family home, the art galleries, and the history room.
First of all I must address the lack of photos from this property – there is a strict no-photography rule in the house – but I hope I make up for it with photos from the grounds.
As I arrived (over-enthusiastically) half an hour before the house opened, I took the chance to stroll around the lake – because of course all good stately homes have lakes. The sun was out so it was absolutely glorious to amble in the dappled sunlight under the trees surrounding the lake, gazing across to the grand house.
A family home has stood on the Dudmaston estate since 1403, although the current house was built in the 17th Century. It is actually still the Hamilton-Russell family home, and this is evident from the moment you walk through their front door.
As well as ancient furniture and antique artefacts, every surface is adorned with family photos from across the years. At first glance it looks like any home, but closer inspection brings a stark reminder of the very different world that families like the Hamilton-Russells inhabit. Especially the photo of two kids on ponies on the lawn in front of the house.
Dudmaston Hall is very lovely and very light – each of the bright bedrooms have views across the rolling Shropshire hills, and the library downstairs is very welcoming and full of delicious leather-bound books. But what I love most is the little forgotten personal items throughout the house which remind you this is someone’s home – the dressing gowns on the backs of doors, and half-full shampoo bottles and shower gels on the sides of the bath. It’s as if the family have only just stepped out.
Yet in stark juxtaposition, down a flight of modern stairs are the family’s art galleries, although a volunteer explains that the family never come over this side of the house. I wouldn’t either.
Apparently Sir George Labouchere, who owned the house in the 1970s before it was gifted to the National Trust, was a big fan of modern art.
Unfortunately, I am not. Quite frankly, I think most of it is absolute rubbish, so I quickly breezed through this section of the house. The only bit I can honestly say I liked was the pianist in one of the galleries – she was doing a marvellous job and I had mistakenly thought it was a CD when I first came down the stairs.
Finally, the third part of the house captures the long history of the house, using several objects from across the centuries. It is all in one room in the basement, but is well worth a quick look, and there is a handy timeline around the walls to assist in putting it all into context.
Also in the grounds is a lovely orchard which is where the cafe and bookshop etc are, and the stables area where there is a year-round plant sale. Had I had more time, I would have sat in the sun with a coffee – but I had three more National Trust properties to fit in…
Verdict: Surprisingly modern house split into three parts. Avoid the art.
A Year of Trust 