The Great Steward of Scotland's Dumfries House Trust

Dumfries House, near Cumnock in Ayrshire, is renowned as being one of the UK’s most important 18th Century classical houses. It is the most significant early commission of the celebrated architect brothers John, Robert and James Adam. It was built for William Crichton Dalrymple, the fifth Earl of Dumfries, between 1754 and 1760. Completed in 1758, the magnificent Palladian mansion set in a 750 acre estate is one of the grandest and most imposing designs of any house in Scotland.

In June 2007, HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay led a consortium of organisations and individuals to rescue Dumfries House for the nation, in what was described as the ‘save of the century’. The Art Fund acted as the formal legal purchaser of the house and its heritage contents and has passed them to the newly formed independent charity, The Great Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust.

The Trust now runs the house which has opened its doors to the public each Summer since 2008.

Find out more about visiting Dumfries House in 2010.