'Culzean of the East' plan for House of Dun in Angus
- Published
The House of Dun was first opened to the public in 1989
Work to create a heritage park celebrating the history of Angus has begun at the House of Dun country house near Montrose.
The project will create a new home for the Angus Folk Museum collection, which was amassed by Lady Maitland of Burnside in the early 20th Century.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) said the £714,000 project was one of its "most significant" of the year.
The charity said it hopes to make the project "the Culzean of the East."
Caroline Graham-Watson swung the first sledgehammer on the new project
The NTS also runs Culzean Castle in South Ayrshire.
Lady Maitland of Burnside's granddaughter, Caroline Graham-Watson, swung the first sledgehammer to join together House of Dun's courtyard buildings where the collection will be housed.
The House of Dun has been owned by the NTS since 1980 and was opened to the public in 1989.
Work on the project was delayed due to Covid-19 but will open to the public in July.
It will feature multi-sensory interpretations on subjects ranging from toys of the past to hidden Jacobite secrets and agriculture heritage, as well as costumed story-telling, new cafes and shops.
The new Angus Folk Museum will include interactive exhibitions
The House of Dun was designed by William Adam for the 13th Laird, David Erskine, a judge of the Court of Session.
It was built in 1743 to replace the medieval tower house which had been home to the Erskine family since 1375.
NTS chief executive, Phil Long, said: "Its reopening will no doubt contribute to the growing interest in the east coast of Scotland as a destination for visitors created by other important cultural landmarks such as V&A Dundee, the newly-expanded Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum, and nearby Glamis Castle and Hospitalfield House."