John Hardy of Kingsweston House, Charlotte Leslie and Lord Heseltine

The hard work done over the years to restore the magnificence of Kingsweston House was applauded by Lord Michael Heseltine when he visited Bristol recently.
Visiting the Grade I listed Georgian mansion with Charlotte, Lord Heseltine was impressed by the way the magnificent old house has been turned around in the past 15 years.
In 1995 the future of the mansion house was shrouded in uncertainty after Avon and Somerset Police, which had a training centre in the house, moved to new premises in Portishead.
Neglected and desolate, the house was boarded up to protect it from vandalism before it was bought privately in 2001. But since then it has been refurbished and now hosts private and public functions and weddings, as well as being home to offices and a tea shop.
Kingsweston House is one of the jewels in Bristol’s historical crown. It was built around 1710 by the great architect Sir John Vanbrugh, who also designed Blenheim Palace.
Alongside its stunning three-storey art gallery, Lord Heseltine was also greatly impressed by the magnificent suspended staircase, which is one of only two of its kind in the world.
Charlotte said: “Lord Heseltine has long had an interest in renovation and regeneration. It was great to be able to bring him to Kingsweston House, to see the work done by one man and his team – John Hardy. Kingsweston House is an historic building of which Bristol can now be proud.”
For more information on Kingweston House – it’s history, its rooms and its uses, visit the website www.kingswestonhouse.co.uk