LONDON.- St Giles House in Dorset, the ancestral seat of the Earls of Shaftesbury, has been announced as the winner of the 2015 Historic Houses Association (HHA) & Sotheby’s Restoration Award. The house, which has remained in the family since the 14th-century, had been left abandoned and derelict for over 50 years. It has now been transformed through a truly remarkable restoration project undertaken by the 12th Earl and Countess of Shaftsbury over the past four and a half years. Lord Shaftesbury inherited the house and estate in 2005 following the tragic death of his father and, only a few months later, of his elder brother.

Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury (1621-1683), a founder of the Whig party, built the nucleus of St Giles House recalling in a diary entry dated 19th March 1650: "I laid the first stone of my house at St Giles's”. The estate continued to be developed over successive generations, including by the 4th Earl and Countess, who landscaped the gardens and introduced an enchanting two room grotto, with walls lined with shells, fossils, coral and stone.

Uninhabited for the latter part of the 20thcentury, the house fell in to disrepair and by 2002 the condition had become critical with sections of the house at risk from collapse. Only a few years ago snow was blowing into the library and the 18th-century grotto was in an extremely fragile condition with trees growing through the walls. With the help of grants from Natural England and the Country Houses Foundation, parkland buildings - including the magical grotto - and the house’s grand interiors have once again been returned to their former glory.

The Earl inherited the Grade I listed1 house, which sits on a 5000-acre estate, in 2005, aged only 25. Lord Shaftesbury said: “It is a huge honour to receive this award after four and a half years of hard work. It’s amazing now to look back at the project and think where we’ve come - it’s safe to say we’ve achieved far more than any of us imagined possible. Hopefully it will inspire others to do the same.”

Harry Dalmeny, Sotheby’s Chairman, UK Private Clients said: “The Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury have reawakened one of Britain’s great houses. This remarkable feat, achieved in such a short space of time, has not only preserved one of our architectural gems but also created a home fit for family life.”

Richard Compton, President of the Historic Houses Association, said: “We were delighted to see such a wide variety of applications for the Award from HHA Members this year reflecting the commitment and dedication that so many demonstrate for the buildings in their care. The judges had a huge task deciding which project to award the principal prize to, but were unanimous that it should go to St Giles House. Here Nick Shaftesbury has demonstrated extraordinary drive and imagination in bringing his family home back to life, by restoring long empty rooms, and the structure as a whole. I believe that St Giles now faces a certain and hopeful future as it now begins to welcome visitors and special events and the opportunity to play an important part in local affairs again. I am also particularly glad that the judges were able to commend three other very worthwhile and important projects.”