A building dubbed 'Scotland's Downton Abbey' is to undergo a significant makeover which is expected to cost around £4million.
Pollok House was built in 1752 close to the site of earlier dwellings dating back to medieval times and was extended between 1890 and 1904.
In the late 19th and through to the mid-20th century it was the home of Sir John Stirling Maxwell, 10th Baronet, a great benefactor to Glasgow, and one of the founders of the National Trust for Scotland.
In 1966 it was donated to the city by Dame Anne Maxwell Macdonald, and it's famous for the vast art collection held within.
The stately home has been compared to the fictional Yorkshire home Downton Abbey from the ITV series of the same name.
The National Trust for Scotland has announced that Pollok House will close on 20 November 2023 for approximately two years to facilitate the second phase of a £4M programme of investment led by Glasgow City Council. The works will comprise roof and general building fabric repairs.
The Trust is in discussion with its staff and volunteers based at Pollok House, as well as their trades union representatives, about possible arrangements following the house’s closure, although it will be maintaining services at the shop and popular café there until at least March 2024.
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Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Glasgow City Council’s City Convener for Neighbourhood Services and Assets, said: “Pollok House is one of Glasgow’s most important heritage assets and I’m very pleased we are investing in a building that adds significantly to the enjoyment of visitors to Pollok Country Park.
“We have been working in close partnership with the National Trust for Scotland on Pollok House and we want to ensure the whole process of renovation is managed as carefully and as sensitively as possible.
“A huge amount of work has gone into improving Pollok Country Park and the renovation of Pollok House will add another dimension to one of the most popular parks in Scotland.
“While Pollok House is closed for refurbishment, we will also be looking closely at how we can improve the visitor experience and we look forward to when this historic home can reopen again to the public.”
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The National Trust for Scotland’s Chief Executive, Phil Long OBE said: “It’s been a great privilege for the National Trust for Scotland to have managed Pollok House over the last quarter of a century, especially as it was here that the earliest discussions leading to our charity’s founding took place at the beginning of the 1930s.
“We’re therefore delighted that the house’s owners, Glasgow City Council, have confirmed that they intend to invest in its refurbishment, following on from their very successful project at the adjacent Burrell Collection.
“We at the Trust will also be delighted to play whatever part we can in assisting the city to develop its new vision for the Pollok Country Park, working closely with Glasgow City Council over future plans for the house.
“While access to the house will necessarily be limited by the works from November, the Trust will continue to welcome visitors and members to the sites we own and care for around the city, namely the Tenement House, Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson’s Holmwood and Greenbank Garden.”
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