Hamish Ogston hosted a small group of journalists for the exclusive preview screening of a documentary about the restoration of Monmouth House, a historic house in Hyde Park Gate which he also calls home.
Monmouth House was originally designed by Edwin Lutyens, one of the most sought-after architects in Britain in his time, at the height of his fame, and was previously home to Sir Roderick Jones, former head of Reuters news agency and his wife, Enid Bagnold, later Lady Jones, author of ‘National Velvet’.
On arrival, guests were greeted with unique musical performances on the piano, accordion and melodica, from Valerie Barr and Caius Lee, two talented musicians heavily involved with Hamish Ogston music initiatives: the National Schools Singing Programme and the Keyboard Studies Programme.
A tour of Monmouth House followed the musical performances before guests enjoyed the exclusive pre-view screening of the documentary film in Mr Ogston’s cinema room.
Jeremy Musson, the architectural historian and presenter of the Monmouth House restoration documentary, introduced the film, recounting the near 3-year film making process, which was delayed several times due to the effects of the pandemic on the construction industry.
The restoration of Monmouth House, which was only recently completed, required a complete reimagination of the House. Using innovative architectural design processes and a combination of modern technologies and traditional crafts and techniques, the House has been totally rejuvenated.
The documentary is a detailed and light-hearted record of the careful planning and considered methods used to transform Monmouth House into a ‘house for today’. The concentration of new work by a catalogue of highly skilled traditional craftspeople – from stonemasons to carpenters, ironmongers and painters – reflects the personal interest of Hamish Ogston in heritage crafts.
The house will eventually be bequeathed to charity.
To learn more about Hamish Ogston’s heritage initiatives, please visit: Heritage