Support Places
Whether coming to Dumfries House, enjoying one of our exhibitions in London, or visiting a building or community around the world that we have helped to transform, our places to visit, their history and their stories, are open to all.
The Care and Curation of Dumfries House
Dumfries House, an 18th Century Palladian mansion in East Ayrshire, represents one of the most important documents of the Scottish Enlightenment. This extraordinary house was saved for the nation by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2007. Since then the house has been restored, complete with contents, to its former glory, and has been opened to the public. Each year, we undertake improvements which are essential to the upkeep and conservation of the building and its priceless collections, including redecorations, roof repairs and access improvements.
The Care of Dumfries House Estate, Gardens and Forestry
Recent years have seen a dramatic resurrection of the Dumfries House parkland and Estate, with a wonderful new network of woodland walks having been created and both the Adam Bridge and the largest walled garden in Scotland restored. The wider estate remains free to enter, as part of our commitment to the local community and our aim to remain accessible to the largest, most diverse audience possible. We rely on donations from supporters to maintain and expand the Estate’s gardens, employing local people as well as world-renowned experts to participate in the care of the estate.
Dumfries House and its community
The Prince’s Foundation is committed to improving the physical environment and lives of the local communities and towns which sit around the periphery of the Dumfries House Estate. There is no better example of this work than our initiatives for the neighbouring town of New Cumnock, a once thriving coal mining community which suffered upon the closure of the mines in the 1980s. In 2015, the Foundation intervened to save first the 19th Century Town Hall, then the town’s open-air swimming pool. These buildings now provide vital social spaces, employ local people and drive much-needed tourism to the town.
Home Farm and Agricultural Centre
A philosophy of sustainable farming is central to His Royal Highness’s vision for the countryside and for food production globally. At the Dumfries House Home Farm we have a herd of 120 pedigree Beef Shorthorn cows, 10 bulls and over 800 Scotch Mule sheep. We also support rare breeds and have 20 Whitebred Shorthorn cattle, representing 15% of the world’s population. His Royal Highness’s ambition for Home Farm, in addition to expanding both its commercial and organic credentials, includes the addition of a facility to enable rural and agricultural training.
Health and Wellbeing
The Dumfries House Wellbeing Centre provides holistic health and wellbeing services to the populations around Dumfries House. Our services have been developed as GP and patient led, with referral from primary, secondary and tertiary care providers; currently six local practices refer to our programme on a regular basis. All programmes focus on education (about health, wellness and medical conditions), increasing movement and activity levels and providing tasters of a range of complementary therapy sessions. Current programmes include support for women approaching menopause and those with chronic pain, diabetes and obesity.
For more information about supporting our places to visit, please contact us here.