An innovative conservation scheme has been unveiled by the National Trust for Scotland to protect Hill House in Helensburgh, which is considered to be the finest example of domestic architecture by Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and a major landmark within the history of architecture. The Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie commissioned Mackintosh to design the house in 1902 and construction was completed in 1904.

Mackintosh’s experimental design, combined with his trial of new materials, has meant that the house has been soaking up water like a sponge for over a 115 years. Battered by around 190 days of rain a year, the long-term survival of the building is in doubt and there is a real danger of its priceless, Mackintosh-designed interior being lost forever.

The first stage of the conservation project has seen the construction of the Hill House Box, a protective steel frame structure covered in a chainmail mesh designed to protect the house from the rain. This will allow the walls to dry and prevent further damage.

Mackintosh also designed the furniture for the main rooms, fittings and decorative schemes, while his wife, Margaret Macdonald, contributed fabric designs and a unique gesso panel.

The Hill House stands out amongst other Arts & Craft and Art Nouveau houses in the UK because it has survived intact for so long. The house has original furnishings, fixtures and fittings in situ – all of which were part of Mackintosh’s all-encompassing approach to design. 

The Hill House Box’s design includes several walkways around the upper levels and over the roof. These will provide a new way to experience the house and Mackintosh’s design, as well as offering great views over the Clyde estuary. The National Trust for Scotland has also built a new café and visitor centre, meaning more people can experience the house and learn about Charles and Margaret Mackintosh and the Blackie family for whom the house was built.

“The box is incredibly impressive in itself and being able to see the house from angles that Mackintosh could only dream of takes your breath away,” says Simon Skinner, chief executive officer, National Trust for Scotland. “There are surprises at every turn and no two visits will be the same. It’s an active, evolving conservation project and there’s nothing like it anywhere else. The Hill House is an exceptional place and our approach to rescuing it is as unique as Mackintosh’s vision.”

Both the interior of the Hill House itself and the Box will be accessible to the public (including disabled access) over the course of the rescue process and they will be able to watch conservators at work. The Hill House Box may stay in place for between seven and ten years.

www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-hill-house/highlights/hill-house-box

Contact: Liz Young – lizyoung@nts.org.uk