March 2005
It is probably the last major restoration project English Heritage will undertake. But nine years and £4.3m after the work began, Danson House is finally open to the public again in its 18th-century glory.
The house in Danson Park, Welling, was once London's most important "at risk" historic building.
Now, thanks to painstaking work by English Heritage's expert restorers and dedication from Bexley Heritage Trust, the house's original sumptuous interior can now be enjoyed by the public.
These pictures illustrate the work which has been carried out and also show the celebrations to mark the completion of the restoration. Many of the pictures are courtesy of English Heritage.
To read our full feature on the Danson Mansion restoration, click here
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Laurence Llewelyn Bowen at Danson Mansion BX7158-E
Historical architect Ptolemy Dean BX7158-G
The opening of Danson Mansion. On the left is Sir Bob Scott, chairman of Bexley Heritage Trust BX7158-B
The dining room after repairs and the reinstatement of the Pavilion wall paintings of 1766 and the recreation of the Georgian mirrors
The dining room before repairs
The wallpaper is a copy of an eighteenth century fragment in the Cooper Hewitt Museum, New York
The partially stripped saloon with some of the fittings that were removed following the discovery of dry rot
The east front after completion of repairs to the external stonework
Restoration work at Danson Mansion
Interior looking up spiral staircase to light well
Entrance hall
Exterior south elevation after work completed in February 1998
One of the restored paintings
One of the restored paintings
One of the restored paintings
Before the restoration ENGLISH HERITAGE
