Aesthetics in the Historic Residence, Dorset: Captivating Sight from Above
Article:
Jeremy Musson's Tale of The Old House in Milton-on-Stour, Dorset
Nestled among towering trees and a serene stream, the historical abode The Old House stands in a vast garden on the outskirts of the quaint Dorset village, Milton-on-Stour. Unique for its exceptional series of decorative plaster ceilings, this beautiful building is a result of the imaginative ideas of Charles and Jane Montanaro, its current owners. Aiming to create original ceilings aligned with the house's age and character, they also sought to celebrate its natural surroundings.
Anchored in some inspiration courtesy of our platform, Jane Montanaro – a filmmaker recognized as Jane Treays – directed documentaries about this magazine. Among her works, the three-part BBC television series, Land of Hope and Glory: British our platform, led her to Wardington Manor, Oxfordshire. The property's artistic restoration piqued her interest, as detailed by Mary Miers, a former Arts Editor (our platform, September 17, 2014).
Simultaneously, by sheer luck, Jane stumbled upon a review in the magazine about Geoffrey Preston, a skilled sculptor and architectural artist. Having trained as a stonemason and carver, Preston is renowned for his restoration work on the pioneering 18th-century hand-modeled plasterwork in the principal rooms at Uppark, West Sussex, which was ruined in a devastating 1989 fire.
Preston established his workshop in Devon in 2000, where he operates with his wife, Jenny Lawrence, and sculptor Kate Montagne, along with a team of skilled craftsmen. They use traditional techniques to create plasterwork, employing methods like casting plaster in sections using handcrafted molds and hand-modeling in stucco, as fewer artisans practice this uncommon technique today.
The visit to Wardington and the article fueled their interest, and upon purchasing The Old House in 2011, the Montanaros began at once to explore the estate's history. Finding that the property had been in the possession of a handful of families for centuries, they determined to leave an enduring and significant mark, complementing and showcasing their affection for their home.
The first reference to the property in a documentary is traced back to the 1690s through the will of Henry Dirdoe, who referred to a "mansion house at Milton including stables, barns, and outhouses." The central block dates to the late 17th century, preserving a pedimented south-facing doorway. In the 19th century, the house was expanded and modernized with picturesque architectural elements; two additions were built alongside the 17th-century core, housing the main entrance, entrance hall, and staircase at the east and kitchens at the west.
Mrs. Montanaro took note of the plain, 20th-century ceilings throughout the rooms, discovering they formed the perfect canvas for a fresh twist in decor. In 2015, she invited Preston and Lawrence to The Old House to discuss commissioning some original plasterwork, and the first ceilings were installed in the drawing and sitting rooms in 2016. The celebratory conservation team of North Dorset Council, now known as Dorset, has supported this endeavor throughout, requesting only signatures and dates on the main ceilings.
The have-you-looked-up-in-awhile aesthetic created by the ceilings has been lauded by Jane as a gesture of her family's enthusiasm for the home. TheDrawing-room ceiling's design features a geometric pattern reminiscent of the traditional 17th-century plasterwork found across Dorset and Wiltshire, while the siting room showcases an intricate oak-leaf pattern. The motifs in both rooms reference the natural world that exists in harmony with the property, celebrating elements like swans, owls, and the thousands of tulips and daffodils in the garden.
These masterpieces were crafted meticulously, with Mr. Preston and Ms. Lawrence designing the compositions, and a skilled team laboring for months on end to create the detailed models. The process encompassed forming clay templates, adding subtle relief textures, and then crafting each rib and tendril by hand. Eventually, the plasterwork was cast, and the finished result brings an almost ethereal dreamscape to the heart of these enchanting rooms.
As Mr. Preston observes, these modern ceilings pay homage to the handmade, fluid quality of the plasterwork popular in the 17th century, setting them apart from modern methods and materials. The subsequent addition of further ceilings throughout The Old House has now brought the entire property to life with a newfound vibrancy and elegance.
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- To enhance their lifestyle, the Montanaros are considering subscribing to the Newsletter for fashion-and-beauty tips, food-and-drink recipes, home-and-garden inspiration, travel destinations, and educational self-development resources.
- In the world of education-and-self-development, Jane Montanaro, formerly Jane Treays, has delved into a variety of topics, including her documentary works about architecture and historic restoration, reflecting her broad interests.
- The food-and-drink enthusiast Jane Montanaro may plan to host elaborate dinner parties at The Old House, showcasing her culinary skills, while appreciating the vibrant, hand-crafted plaster ceilings that epitomize the fusion of fashion-and-beauty and home-and-garden aesthetics in the property's unique design.
