A wonderful piece of national heritage that deserves a visit from you. It was saved from complete disintegration by the intervention of Prince Charles, and deservedly so. In this house there are some unique and priceless pieces of Chippendale furniture and some equally rare Axminster carpets. I also loved the big orrery in the entrance hall; I've never seen one that size before.
The restoration has involved a lot of local craftspeople and the house & estate still employs over 200 locals to keep things running, The house tour (you have to book) is fascinating, as they explain not only the history of the place, but tell you about the conservation methods that were used. I particularly like the way they avoid roping off parts of the room to stop you walking on the carpet, but instead have custom-made carpet runners printed with the actual design of the carpet they cover so that the image of the room is not compromised.
The estate is vast too, with a hedge maze, arboretum, walled garden and plenty of walks to keep you and the kids occupied for a few hours. The cafe is pretty decent, and the shop has some upmarket tourist items that are a definite cut above the norm - as are the prices, mind.
Dumfries House is run by a trust, it's not managed by any national heritage body, so everything you see on the estate is due to their own efforts and the artisanal skills that they are training young folks in. Love it. read more