Situated between Hatherleigh and Holsworthy, Dunsland, which is owned and managed by the National Trust, is today a place for peace and tranquillity with its beautiful trees and scenic views.
For some younger
people, this is how Dunsland has always been, however many of you will have numerous memories of Dunsland, and the grand house that once stood proudly on a hill overlooking its estate.
Over 40 years ago, in 1967, a catastrophic fire ripped through Dunsland House, just three nights before the property was due to open to the public. The house had been owned by the National Trust for 15 years and most of this time had been dedicated to the repair and restoration of the house. What was once a fantastic stone built mansion was reduced overnight to smoke and rubble.
The cause of the fire was never fully established, and a sense of mystery about Dunsland House and its demise remains today. Thankfully the Trust's caretakers of the time managed to escape with their lives.
Deemed too expensive to repair at the time, the National Trust made the difficult decision to demolish the remaining ruins and maintain Dunsland as the beautiful parkland we know today.
To try and record the many and varied stories of Dunsland House, the National Trust is starting an oral history project which aims to record
people's memories and stories of Dunsland's past and preserve them for future generations.
National Trust Warden, Justin Seedhouse, who is managing the oral history project said: "Dunsland would be a very different place today if not for the catastrophic fire. Today when you visit, the place has a quiet and eerie feel as if Dunsland is sleeping, waiting for its stories to be re-awakened.
"We hope that by doing an oral history project here we will be able to collect and conserve local stories about Dunsland and preserve them for future generations, so they can understand the fascinating and lively
history of this now peaceful place. Later this year we will be inviting local people to an event so we can begin to collect and record these important stories."
To launch this fantastic project, The National Trust is holding an arts competition based on the themes of 'Dunsland Past or Dunsland Present'. They would like you to submit artwork, poetry, or stories which share stories of Dunsland's history or are a reflection on Dunsland as it is today.
The prize for the over 18 category will be two tickets on the Clovelly Cruise on Friday, August 21 and the prize for the under 18 category will be a goody bag packed full of books and activities on nature and the great
outdoors.
All entries for this competition must be received by midnight on Friday, July 24, 2009 by postal submission to The National Trust, Dunsland Competition, North Devon Office, Arlington Court, Arlington, EX31 4LP or via email to [email protected]">[email protected].
The competition will be judged by the Hartland Warden Team.