Cumnock's grand Dumfries House now open to public

Jun 11 2008 By Lorraine Waddell

PRINCE Charles officially opened Dumfries House in Cumnock on Friday after saving the 250-year-old mansion at the eleventh hour last year.

The magnificent site had been put up for sale for £25million by John Colum Crichton Stewart, the seventh Marquess of Bute but the Prince stepped in to ensure that it would be accessible to the public.

He headed up a consortium of charities and the Scottish Government who made the purchase last summer and the house is now officially opened.

Before unveiling the plaque, Prince Charles, known in Scotland as the Duke of Rothesay, said "What an exciting day as far as I am concerned and I think quite a lot of others that finally we've managed to open this remarkable house after really quite a lot of effort.

"And I pray that, as a result of Dumfries House and what we might be able to do here, it will indeed help provide a catalyst for the regeneration of this remarkable area."

Previous owner, John Colum Crichton Stewart, the seventh Marquess of Bute, said : "It feels very positive. The house is owned by an independent trust and it was a huge act of faith on the part of the Prince and funding bodies to make the purchase.

"The house is now going to be open to the public which is a fantastic thing because it's a totally unique house with a lot of amazing furniture and I think it's going to be a contributor to a resurgence in the local economy and it's going to be very very positive for East Ayrshire in terms of tourism.

"I'm a trustee of the trust so my presence is required every once in a while and I'll certainly come back."

East Ayrshire Council Provost Stephanie Young was delighted that the local authority was first to be thanked.
She said: "It's been absolutely amazing and for East Ayrshire Council to be given the first tranche of thanks was brilliant.

"The work that has been put into this but not only by ourselves but by the volunteers, by the Prince's Trust and all of the other people that have organised it.

"History has been made and it is in East Ayrshire which is just wonderful."

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley MSP Cathy Jamieson was at the official opening and was delighted to see it gifted back to the people.

She said: "I think it's great to see it opening to the public because there's many, many people in the Cumnock area, Auchinleck and round about whose families have worked on the estate or who've been associated in some way in the past.

For them now to get a chance to see it is going to be absolutely brilliant.

Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Sandra Osborne praised the Prince for saving the site.

She said: "It was touch and go. Cathy and I were both involved and it was a matter of days as to whether it was going to go ahead or not and I mean he did step in so I think he does deserve the credit for that."
 
 For a group of dinner ladies from Auchinleck Academy, it was a very exciting day on Friday.

The staff served up a delicious buffet of strawberry tarts, battenburg cake and sandwiches for invited guests and dignitaries.

Senior catering manager at the school, Mary Lyle explained how they were asked to provide the food and were more than happy to help out.

She said: "When East Ayrshire was asked to do it, Auchinleck Academy was approached to do the catering for it and we've been here a couple of times doing various buffets and teas and coffees. It's really a pleasure to do it.

"There's four of us here and there's other girls along to give us a hand because we couldn't draw all of us out of the school.

Although Mary didn't get a chance to speak to Prince Charles on the day, it's not the first time she's been in his royal presence.

She said: "We did the A Frame at Auchinleck and I gave him his tea then. He spoke to me then. It was lovely. He was just thanking us for the tea and saying that he was enjoying the day."
 
Auchinleck man David Gemmell was just days away from losing his home and his livelihood when Dumfries House went up for sale last year.

The caretaker stays on site and it's a real family affair for him. His wife Isobel is the cleaner of the house and both of his sons help out with work on the mansion.

He told us: "I was born in Auchinleck and I've stayed there all of my days. I moved down here 11 years ago. I stay in the flat in the house, the mansion house itself.

"When it was up for sale it was a very emotional time because we didn't know whether we were going to have a job, whether we were going to have a home. It was very stressful.

"They think it's been stressful this time, they don't know what stress is until last year when I had all the viewings.
"Last year, I had 68 viewings for the house when it was up for sale and it was a trying time then. It's been an interesting time the last month or so trying to get the place ready and now I'm pleased to see it."

David is hopeful that now Dumfries House is open to the public, it will bring the place to the fore and also help the area as a whole.

He said: "It will help the communities hopefully. All of the local area might get a regeneration from it and it's great to see people about the place. It will bring the place alive hopefully."

The 49-year-old has a key part to play in ensuring the mansion is well looked after.

He said: "Security of the house is more important than anything and in the morning I open all the shutters and the shutters are all alarmed for security reasons.

"I check the house, check there are no water leaks or any electrical faults in our system just general security. I also do the groundwork. I do the gardens along with my son George.

"My wife's the cleaner as well. She's been the cleaner for the last 11 years. She knows the house as good as I do."
The Auchinleck man has a great respect for Prince Charles and is grateful to him for securing his future as well as that of the community.

He said: "I just thank everyone that's helped us along. All the volunteers and different people whose helped us. I must thank Mike Schafer because Mike's been very good with us. He's helped us along the way.

"I've walked the estate a few times with the Prince before so it's not a problem speaking to him. It's just like us standing here speaking. There's no airs or graces about him. He's very nice.

"He thanked me and my son very much because yesterday there wasn't a piece of furniture in any of the main rooms and me and George did it ourselves."