The National Trust
Sir: For many years I have been Head Guide at Montacute House and have also acted as administrator and been in sole charge of the house during the absences of the late administrator and his wife while they were on their holidays (both at home and abroad) and also on other occasions. I also acted in this capacity during the interim period at the beginning of last year while awaiting the arrival of the new administrator.
In view of the foregoing I think that I am in a position to state that I have a fairly intimate knowledge of the house and the policy behind it, During my time at the house I have also been responsible for the welcoming of over 90 per cent of those who have visited the house annually.
Taking into account this close association of mine with the house I have naturally taken a keen interest in the various articles and letters which have, f,'om time to time during the past twelve months, appeared in your most estimable journal as well as in the national and local press. Some of the printed matter I have, I'm sorry to say, found most irritating.
I have no wish to enter into the rights or the wrongs of the policy of the Trust as it affected the late administrator and his wife except to say, from my own personal experience, the Trust's policy, as followed at Montacute House, has given, and is still giving, great pleasure to a very large number of people from all walks of life. Having just read Mrs Brock's letter in your issue dated February 3, I would very much like, if you will kindly permit me to do so, to comment upon one or two of her statements.
For example: Mrs Brock writes, and here I quote: "At Montacute the annual average attendance was in the region of 20,000 . . . last year figures, incidently, were down in the 17,000. I wonder why?' I am wondering how Mrs Brock obtained these figures. As Head Guide it is part of my duties to keep a careful daily check on the number of visitors coming to the house and I feel that my figures can be taken as very accurate.
For those interested I would draw their attention to the fact that, at the commencement of the 1972 season, instead of being able to open on the scheduled date of March 1, the opening had to be delayed until Easter, a month later. This, of course, meant that all the visitors who would have come to the house during March were irrevocably lost.
Another point. Your readers will, I am sure, recall that at the beginning of last season (for just over two months) the weather was most inclement and as a result of this Montacute, along with the majority of all Trust properties (and also those in private ownership) found that their attendance figures were well down — some cases running into thousands. Taking this into account, along with the loss of all visitors during the month of March, it will be appreciated that Montacute did not 'get off' to too good a start.
I am more than pleased to be able to report that, in spite of these early drawbacks, when the house closed at the end of last season it was found that the attendances totalled over 26,000. According to the figures quoted by Mrs Brock this shows something in the region of 6,000 above the annual average and discounts the "down in the 17,000's."
Mrs Brock further goes on to state (and again I quote) "Under our administration ' This place seems alive (or lived in) ' was something commonly heard from visitors " and I am sure that it will re-assure her to know that this has been said to me, this last season, by the majority of those who visited the house.
In one part of her letter Mrs Brock refers to a "symptom of derav ". I would like to take this opportunity of assuring her that she need have no worries on this score and that far from.' decaying' the house is taking on a new lease of life and from the loving care and attention which it is now receiving it will, I am convinced, be able to successfully stave off ' decay ' for many a long year to come and continue giving delight and pleasure to thousands and thousands of people from all walks of life who will, without a doubt, be visiting the house and appreciating its glories. Harold B. Beeley-Fox Head Guide, Montacute House, Somerset
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