Fire has long been one of the enemies of the country house. Many a fine mansion would still be nestled in its parkland but for a careless servant's candle or a poorly maintained chimney. The loss of a country house to fire is all the more devastating, not only for the lives which are also sometimes taken, than one which was simply demolished by contractors. Not only is there little chance to stop it once the fire starts, but the concentration of treasures magnifies the loss of not only a beautiful house but the art, furniture, books and records are destroyed too.
Some of the finest houses in the country have been lost to fire. Dunsland House in Devon had some the best plasterwork in the region, Clumber House in Nottinghamshire contained a magnificent collection of art, Stoke Edith in Herefordshire some of the finest painted interiors, and Coleshill House in Berkshire was a crowning example of Palladian architecture. Even smaller
houses such as Strensham Court in Worcestershire or Lindridge in Devon are significant losses in their area. There are many, many more - nearly 200 documented cases, and possibly double that, since 1800.The Lost Heritage website aims to record all of the approximately 2,000 significant country houses which have been lost since 1800. The purpose of the website is to act as a reminder of what has been lost so that we can work harder to preserve the ones which remain. This is why the work of the Colvin Fire Prevention Trust is so important in ensuring that our heritage is kept safe for future generations.
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