Piercefield is the latest in
a long line of historic country houses in urgent need
of restoration with which Jackson-Stops & Staff has
been associated, often working in conjunction with Save
Britain’s Heritage (SAVE), which has recently celebrated
the 30th anniversary of its foundation.
The catalyst for the creation of SAVE was the 1974 V&A
exhibition, ‘The Destruction of the Country House’.
The exhibition had a powerful impact, not least upon Marcus
Binney, who joined with others to found SAVE, a registered
charity, in 1975/6. In his book ‘SAVE Britain’s
Heritage 1976 – 2005’, Marcus calculates that
1,600 historic houses were lost between 1875 and 1975.
In just the first three months of the charity’s existence,
planning applications were lodged for the demolition of
a further 334 listed buildings. Almost all were granted.
Indeed, the economy and tax regime of the time often seemed
to be conspiring against the survival of our country houses.
Later, the closure of a number of private schools in the
1980s and 90s, which had been the ‘first generation’
of alternative owners of historic houses, added to the
problem.
Nevertheless, we have found that private enthusiasts are
prepared to save endangered houses. Lynsted Court and
Starkey Castle, both Grade I houses in Kent unoccupied
for 40 years, were sold and |
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restored by private buyers.
Against the odds, Calke Abbey and its Park were not broken
up, but terms negotiated that secured the future of this
important Derbyshire house. More recently, Toddington
Manor in
Gloucestershire, a huge late Georgian house unoccupied
for a decade, and Allt y Bela, a restored medieval manor
house in Monmouthshire, have sold to private buyers.
The case for the restoration of Piercefield was given
a
significant boost by evidence which became known only
in the course of our research in preparation for its sale.
Far from being based loosely on ideas sketched out by
Sir John Soane – a common belief that came about
from an error in sale particulars prepared in 1794 –
there is no doubt that Piercefield is a Soane house. A
preliminary drawing by Soane found in the Soane Museum
provided the critical clue. Cross referencing with the
architect’s journals then showed that Soane
made several journeys to Piercefield during the course
of construction, taking with him a significant number
of drawings as the project progressed.
Marcus Binney, the President of SAVE, has described Piercefield
as the most challenging restoration of the 21st century.
It is also likely to be the most rewarding.
Piercefield is currently being offered by the Country
Houses and Estates office, London at a guide price of
£2 million. |
