Concordat agreement signed to secure future of Mavisbank

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop today announced a £500,000 grant to help secure the future of A-listed Midlothian mansion Mavisbank House.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop has announced funding of £500,000 to help secure the future of Mavisbank House in Midlothian, an A-listed mansion designed by William Adam. Ms Hyslop visited Mavishank to announce the funding and witness the signing of a concordat agreement between Historic Scotland, Midlothian Council, the Mavisbank Trust and the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust which looks to bring the house back into use and provide a community resource by opening the grounds to the public as a community park.

The building was commissioned by Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, a key figure of the Scottish enlightenment and designed by William Adam, the leading architect of the early eighteenth century, between 1723 and 1725.  The interior of the building was devastated by fire in 1973, although its intricately carved exterior remains.

The Mavisbank Trust has plans to raise £12 million to restore the exterior of the building and give the public access to the house through regular open days. Alex Hammond-Chambers, Chairman of The Mavisbank Trust said: 'We are delighted that the concordat will enable the Trust to take forward the project, removing previous barriers to progress and demonstrating a firm commitment to its success by Historic Scotland and Midlothian Council.
'Whilst securing the project funding will be a huge challenge in such difficult economic times, the grant from the Scottish Government is an important step towards reaching our goal.'

For more on the project, or to make a donation, visit the Mavisbank website.

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