Art and more at Boughton House this Easter

Boughton House is looking forward to opening its doors over the Easter (Saturday 30^th March to Monday 1st April) and May Bank Holiday weekends (Saturday 4th to Monday 6^th May and Saturday 25^th to Monday 27^th May). This year, in addition to the world-class art collection and fascinating history, visitors can admire the newly restored State Room ceilings, which were featured in Hollywood epic Napoleon and view works by local artists.

The State Rooms at Boughton House were originally built to impress the King and Queen, William and Mary, by showing them the contemporary style and tastes of the French Court. This included the magnificently painted ceilings by Louis Chéron, a celebrated French history painter and book illustrator.

These ceilings have just been restored as part of a larger 10 year project to  conserve and clean these artistic treasures, revealing their original splendour for generations to come. Using cutting-edge 21st century techniques and materials, the experts at Perry Lithgow are removing layers of dirt, yellowing varnishes, and old re-painting  accumulated over centuries. The painstaking process allows for the recovery of the original painted schemes, which are then retouched where necessary and protected with reversible pigments and varnishes.

Visitors to Boughton House can enjoy the processional tour of the State Rooms and their restored ceilings on the State Rooms guided tour. These rooms had such an impression on King William III that he commissioned the building of State Rooms in his Hampton Court Palace.

Boughton House is also set to host three pop-up events in association with Northants and Rutland Open Studios. Local artists will display their works of art within the Stableyard area, including the Tearoom and Coach House.

Charles Lister, property manager at Boughton House says:

“We are delighted to be welcoming back Northants Open Studios for the series of pop-up events. We think art enthusiasts will love the mix of traditional art within the House and works by local, talented Northamptonshire artists. To be able to see artworks created over many years apart is truly special. It is an exciting start to the season for us and we look forward to welcoming visitors to enjoy all that Boughton has to offer.”

Visitors to Boughton House can enjoy three tours taking in different aspects of the historic home. The Great Hall tour, where visitors can explore many of the ground floor rooms, including the impressive Great Hall, on a free-flow basis. The State Rooms Tour takes visitors upstairs on a guided tour of the lavish rooms created for the visit of William III in 1695. The final tour, Books, Beds and Beyond, shares an eclectic, adventurous look at the library, bedrooms, backstairs, kitchen and other hidden areas of the House.

The historic Gardens, Landscape and Parkland are also open to visitors over the Easter and May Bank Holiday weekends.

Visitors can make more of their trip over the three weekends at the Stableyard Tearoom and Gift Shop which offer cakes, tea, and other light refreshments.

Entry for the Great Hall Tour is £14 for Adults, and £8 for Children (under 5’s free). Entry to the State Rooms Tour is £14 for Adults, £8 for Children (under 5’s free) or £5 per person if doing in addition on the Great Hall Tour. Books, Beds and Beyond is £16 per person or £10 in addition to another tour. Entry to the Gardens and Parkland is £8 for Adults and £3 for Children (under 5’s free) and is included with the price of a House tour.

All tickets can be purchased from boughtonhouse.co.uk.