Blackwell the Arts and Crafts House, Lake District - Introduction

INTRODUCTION

	THE ARTS AND CRAFTS HOUSE
	Blackwell was designed by Arts and Crafts architect M H Baillie Scott as a holiday home for Sir Edward Holt, a brewer from Manchester who was twice Lord Mayor. Completed in 1900 this house is of international importance, standing at the crossroads of Victorian design and modern architecture of the 20th century. It is all the more remarkable that so much of the original interior decoration has survived intact. Rarely does a house from this period escape the march of progress made in the twentieth century in domestic living, and the many alterations for 'modernisation' that this brings.
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	THE REAWAKENING
	Since 1998, Ł3.5 million has been raised in order to restore Blackwell and open it to the public as a gallery providing a national and international focus for high quality Arts and Crafts. The aim has not been to create a static museum, but to bring back to life a very special house that was designed as a place to be enjoyed. The house itself is a wonderful combination of architecture, craft and the applied arts. These elements, together with the restored garden terraces and its setting in one of the Lake District's most spectacular positions, create one of the most beautiful and exciting exhibition venues in the country. Please click here to see a map of the area. The project has been carried out by the Lakeland Arts Trust who also run the award winning Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal.
	In order to bring Blackwell to life and reawaken the interiors, works of fine and applied arts have been purchased and borrowed from several large collections including those at Leicester and Cheltenham. Here they will be used to enhance the beauty of the interiors and help interpret the wider movement in the arts and crafts of the period and beyond. Blackwell is managed by the Lakeland Arts Trust (Charity No: 526980), and its main purpose is to provide people with the opportunity to experience important works of art first hand, from a wide range of periods. With this in mind, the Trust has been very active in trying to build up its permanent collection and has been greatly helped in this by its many supporters. It is also felt to be important that as many people as possible benefit from the opportunities the Trust offers, and for them to gain as much as possible from this experience through education. The Trust has, therefore, developed an active and innovative education programme and is committed to continuing to expand this service. We hope that you will enjoy discovering more about this exciting venue through our web site.

	The House\| The Collection \| Baillie Scott \| History \| The Trust \| The Restoration

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