Preston Park Museum And Grounds

You can spend the whole day at Preston Park with 100 acres to wander around, the river to cruise, a museum, and Butterfly World (not covered here). If you have any pumpkins or sausages there is a whopping big play area (free). Prices seem reasonable at £5 for the museum for a year and parking is free (as of August 2024)

Preston Hall is elegantly built in pretty soft red brickwork possibly dating to the late 18th century. The hall has a winsome rear, which is worth a peak and there is a refreshment bar there too.

David Burton Fowler (1736 to 1828) was a solicitor in London and relocated to Stockton on Tees where in 1825 he had the first Preston Hall built. It was a gentleman's residence and an agricultural estate with 4 farms, a quarry, and brickworks. The estate back then was bigger than the 100 acres of today.

In 1882 a wealthy industrial and shipping magnate German-British Sir (Emil Hugo Oscar) Robert Röpner (Ropner), 1st Baronet (1838 to 1924) purchased the hall and part of the estate, then set about creating a home befitting his status. Extensions with a music room and a billiards room were added.

According to English Heritage, the roofs are likely to be the oldest and least altered part of historic houses. Preston Hall has a hipped Welsh slate roof where some chimneys seem to be in odd places. There are some pleasing hexagonal Victorian cupola ventilation shafts to admire too.

Around the turn of the century, (that's into the 20th century for any millennials possibly reading this and thank you) the marvellous Winter Garden was an added creation. The plants thrive in the conservatory and it has a pleasant vista inside and out. Just imagine if those ceramic tiles are Pugin or Minton!

The grand stone porte-cochere (from the French coach gateway) dates from the late 19th century and is of Neo-baroque style. Who would like to arrive by horse and carriage? Of course, it has the coat of arms of Baronet Ropner and his motto Fides Et Fortitudo which is from the Latin Faith and Fortitude.

After Sir Ropner died in 1924 his son lived there till his death in 1937 and his kin didn't fancy staying, so it was left in custodial hands. After World War II, it was sold to developers and when their vision failed, it saw the Stockton Corporation assign it as a museum. Hooray!

The gardens were extensively landscaped but no sign of that now, however, the Walled Garden is a joy. Check out the 3 ½ acres of flowers, vegetables, herbs, and an ingenious concept of poisonous plants, It comes with a caveat emptor of don't touch, taste, or smell. Who knew castor oil can be so deadly and the information about wormwood is the stuff of gossip?

The bandstand was erected in 1953 at the same time the hall was converted to a museum, which intentionally coincided with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

The museum includes archaeology, military, fine art, social history and ephemera. Who knew there was a word for items that were not intended to be preserved or displayed, from the Greek ephemeros 'lasting only a day' (thank you Wikipedia).

Let's go inside to explore only a few of the 100,000 artifacts!

The Lady of Light was built in 1890 by Samuel Friedrich Beer (1846 to 1912). It is suggested it may have started as a sculpture and then been used as a lamp. I cannot find much about it so I wonder if it is an Allegory of a Greek myth? There is the classic drape around her modesty.

The painting called the Dice Players is the museum's most famous/expensive? exhibit. The French artist Georges de La Tour (1593 to 1652) has work displayed in the Louvre in Paris. From WikiArt it states:

'This painting dates to 1650/51 Inspired by a true story, Invincible recounts the last 48 hours in the life of Marc-Antoine Bernier, a 14-year-old boy on a desperate quest for freedom.'

From the museum website, it states:

'La Tour would often hide the source of light in his paintings to create a dramatic feeling to the scene'.

At the stairs, the Newel caught my gaze as there is detail to it

The landing greets you with a metalworking of the river Tees and the details give a social-economical brief.

On display is the first UK almost complete Viking Helmet which was discovered in Yarm in the 1950's. Look for the flared end of the nosepiece. The information suggests it mimics a beast.

Below is a photo album of over 400 people arrested from 1878 to 1896, where some are quite young. It was Donated by Cleveland Police.

There is a section on amusements with Punch looking sheepish and a statue from the top of the Hippodrome Theatre circa 1900's. Maybe a goddess casting her net?

The 'Playing with Peppy' is fun especially as he reminded me of Ziggy Stardust.

In the 1970s the Museum was given a makeover, including construction of a Victorian Street complete with shops. Step over the backward ticking clock (see what they did there) and into the world of 1895.

Some buildings were open and the sweet shop seemed popular as you could buy sweets, but not at Victorian prices! The working Blacksmith with a forge sometimes has demonstrations.

In 2008 £7 million lottery aid was procured to redevelop parts and in 2012 it was rebranded.

In 2024 there is a huge new building under construction. Galliford Try's website tells us the £10 million levelling up scheme is:

'a 1,600sqm two-storey new-build exhibition space, refurbishment of an existing café and aviary, as well as the extension and resurfacing of two car parks to improve the visitor experience.'

The disused aviary is quite an eye-catcher, so the refurbishment will be something to look forward to.

Near the entrance, there is a path that runs parallel with the road and it was part of the former world-famous Stockton Darlington Railway. It also takes you away from the madding crowd.