Thursday 7 April 2011

The National Trust

As an owner of the proverbial 'stately home' there is nothing I enjoy more than snooping around other such houses which is why I am a member of the National Trust. The other day I drove over with a cousin to a marvellous National Trust house in South Devon called Saltram.  Sadly our enjoyment of the interior was frustrated because most of the rooms were so dark that they rendered the pictures which adorned the walls almost invisible to the naked eye.  The reason of course is that the NT dreads the effect of sunlight and its ultra violet rays on the fabrics which cover the walls and furniture. Now I know  that sunlight rots and fades such fabrics but I do query this modern obsession with 'preserving fabrics' which were never intended to be preserved for ever. I also wonder why the NT don't try putting a film of ultra violet light excluder over their windows as I have done in a couple of rooms - so far it seems to have done the trick but perhaps they do not trust modern technology.  So, at Saltram, the walls of a couple of rooms are covered with a very faded and worn red velvet which, for some reason, the Trust thinks must be saved for posterity. Why? it is just boring old red velvet, why not do, what any private owner of such a house would do - rip it off and replace it with brand new dazzling red velvet?  This worship of fabrics in NT houses is being taken to such a ridiculous extremeism that in future I intend to always take a torch whenever I visit one of their houses - and I advise all of you to do the same.       
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous7 April 2011 at 12:42

    It's always easier pissing out of the tent.

    I think its important to preserve what there once was if its for show, if its in the TN's hands then that's what it is. I think modern technology can allow for both; like you say with UV filters but it would lose its charm if it were disturbed with obviously new interior.

    If it can be avoided then it should.

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  2. David.9 April 2011 at 10:09

    National Trust = Tossers, fact. Friends of mine have Croft, or at least what is left of it after his poor late Father mistakenly let the lying Trust bulldoze him into a corner, and i visit them regular as its local here, part the oiks walk around is choc full of Victoriana bought by said late Father from local sales and plonked in there, to hear the 'Invigilators' yak about this tat is priceless drivel, they would have the oiks believe its been there since effing Domesday haha, i am v sure they believe it themselves!. All this fading wallpaper and rotting fabrics would be replaced for certain if the owners were still there, the Trust seem to make money from doing ef all and leaving these places in a morgue like state with PREFERABLY no inhabitants. Keep these homes for living in thats what i say.

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