Dumfries House Play Area

A consortium led by HRH The Prince of Wales succeeded in purchasing the house and contents and, in doing so, saved Dumfries House and one of the most important collections of Georgian Scottish and English furniture for the nation.

Under the auspices of The Great Steward of Scotland's Dumfries House Trust, and since 2018 The Prince's Foundation (now the King’s Foundation), improvements have been made to the grounds and gardens, historic outbuildings have been brought back to use and the estate is a focus for a range of training opportunities for young people and traditional skills and crafts. The transformation of Dumfries House has brought many employment opportunities to the local area, which was greatly affected by the demise of the coal mining industry and stands as a prime example of heritage-led regeneration.

The playpark was built in the midst of the Dumfries House estate in a natural environment. The playpark itself is built from natural materials and including traditional crafts, e.g. thatching.

The playpark allows young people to enjoy outdoor recreation in beautiful and natural surroundings and helps foster the development of a sense of care for the environment. It is built amongst some of the large trees on the estate. The large spanning bridges and tunnels give visitors a true sense of advanture and an alternative experience of the woodland setting.

The project was enabled through an award of £300,000 by Avondale Environmental Limited, part of the NPL Group through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund.