Things to do in Saltram house

Visitors explore the staircase hall at Saltram, looking at the artworks and ceiling window — Exploring Saltram's staircase hall | © Sophie Bolesworth

Home to the Parker family for several generations, Saltram is a Georgian jewel, rich with original collections and architecture. An elegant façade built around a much earlier house, it was acquired by George Parker in 1712 and today provides a fascinating glimpse into upper class life at the time.

New exhibition space opens at Saltram

We are testing a new room upstairs as an exhibitions gallery to offer different ways of presenting Saltram’s collections and histories through a changing programme of spotlight displays.

With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are hoping to make a dynamic range of access improvements at Saltram, opening more spaces and helping people to engage with this place in new ways. As part of these improvements, we are aiming to create a suite of exhibition spaces in this south-facing wing.

As we work to open and redisplay these spaces, we would like to hear from you. What would you love to see at Saltram to help you access these spaces and the collection, and connect with their stories? Your input will inform our planning and support our funding bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2025 to make this work possible.

You can share your thought with us at futuresaltramproject@nationaltrust.org.uk.

Creative Saltram: Angelica Kauffman and classical inspiration at Saltram

Inspired by Angelica Kaufman’s self-expression through art, music and poetry, this year we will explore the creativity of, and inspiration for, work by Kauffman and other artists and makers at Saltram, offering ways to get creative on your visits this season.

Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807) was one of the leading history painters of her day and a founding member of the Royal Academy who led a renewed interest in classical art. Depicting stories that reflect on history, politics, and the role of women. How did she come to have such an impact on the art world? And why will you find so many of her works here at Saltram?

Hector, son of the King of Troy, prepares to go to battle. He wears his plumed helmet and holds a spear. He stands hand-in-hand with Andromache, his devoted wife, in front the gates of Troy. A nurse is holding their son Astyanax. The child prefers to look into her eyes rather than towards his father, who is attired for war. — Angelica Kauffman's painting depicting an episode from Homer's epic poem 'The Iliad'. | © John Hammond

Hector taking leave of Andromache Angelica Kauffman RA (Chur 1741 – Rome 1807)

The scene painted by Kauffman depicts an episode from Homer's epic poem 'The Iliad'. The wife of the first owner of the picture, Theresa Parker, declared in a letter to her brother: 'The prettiest and I think the best she (Angelica Kauffman) ever did is the painting of Hector and Andromache.'

Oil painting on canvas, Self-portrait by Angelica Kauffman circa 1764. A half-length to the right, head facing, in white dress, blue cloak and lace headdress, playing a guitar, a score of music beside her on the table. — Angelica Kauffman Self Portrait from Saltram's collection Pre conservation | © John Hammond

Angelica Kauffman self portrait

Self-portrait by Angelica Kauffman RA (Chur 1741 – Rome 1807), circa 1764. Angelica Kauffman produced a number of self-portraits during her lifetime, most of which portray her as the consummate artist, active at her easel or with a sketchbook in hand. Kauffman was also a talented musician, said to be a musical prodigy, and in this early work she depicts herself at leisure, playing a guitar with sheets of music open on a table at right.

Joshua Reynolds wears Van Dyck costume which was fashionable during the reign of George III. He sits beside a table strewn with papers and philosophical volumes, behind which is a bust of Michelangelo, an artist revered by Reynolds. — Sir Joshua Reynolds as painted by Angelica Kauffman | © ©National Trust Images/Rob Matheson

Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA (1723-1792) Angelica Kauffman RA (Chur 1741 – Rome 1807)

Currently on loan to the Royal Academy in London until July 2024, in this portrait of her great friend, Angelica Kauffman presents Sir Joshua Reynolds as a man of style and culture. He wears Van Dyck costume which was fashionable during the reign of George III. He sits beside a table strewn with papers and philosophical volumes, behind which is a bust of Michelangelo, an artist revered by Reynolds.

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House Tours - We want to hear from you

This year we are looking to our audiences to find out how they would like to see tours return to Saltram. We have created a quick 5 minute survey linked here to discover how you would like to experience a house tour at Saltram. Thank you for taking the time to feedback to us.

Saltram House Tours Questionnaire Survey (surveymonkey.com)

The Saloon carpet Axminster re-weave

Experience one of Britain’s finest early Georgian interiors as its designer originally intended. The spectacular Axminster carpet in the Saloon has been expertly recreated by the same firm whose founder wove the original carpet back in 1770, allowing us to walk in the exact footsteps of the Parker family in their home some 250 years on.

John and Theresa Parker commissioned the fashionable Scottish designer and architect Robert Adam to design every detail of the Saloon at Saltram. In around 1768, he designed a huge 13.5m x 5.9m one-off carpet to echo the pattern of the beautiful plasterwork ceiling above.

The National Trust has worked with historic local firm Axminster Carpets, whose founder Thomas Whitty, wove the original carpet in the 18th century, to reweave two partial copies that can be laid over the original. These now allow you to enter and appreciate the lavish room just as John and Theresa Parker did over 250 years ago.

The full-length protective reweaves, each covering two-thirds of the carpet’s width, will be regularly rotated so that every 18months-2 years it can be cleaned, repaired and stored by bespoke flooring specialists Linney Cooper, whilst the second copy is then laid. This approach will allow the original carpet to rest and extend the life of the reweaves to up to thirty years.

Axminster Carpets rebuilt its largest loom to accommodate the most complex reweave it has undertaken in its 268-year history. The six-week reweave involved 22 thread colours and 96,130 changes of bobbin (the cylinder on which the yarn is wound), each change taking anywhere from three hours to a whole day to complete.

The carpet reweave is the final stage of a major Saloon conservation project which began in 2017. The conservation project was funded by the National Trust and Wolfson Foundation and is a first of its kind, once again making history.

Saltram's luxurious Saloon with two lit chandeliers, damask wallpaper and a re-weave carpet covering half of the room so visitors can now walk through the space. — Exploring Saltram's Saloon re-weave carpet | © Sophie Bolesworth

Learn about a lavish lifestyle

The lifestyle the Parkers enjoyed can be clearly seen through the sumptuous, original furnishings and significant collections still on display, including stunning paintings, ceramics and textiles.

The Robert Adam Saloon

The highlight of any visit to Saltram House is a visit to the ‘Great Room’, the Saloon. Here you can see one of the best and most complete rooms designed by architect Robert Adam and finished in 1772.

Grey-blue Giltwood armchairs attributed to Thomas Chippendale lined up in the Saloon at Saltram, Devon — The saloon at Saltram | © National Trust Images / John Hammond

Saltram's painting collection

Originally the family acquired history paintings by the artist Angelica Kauffman for display in the Saloon. However, these now hang in Saltram’s staircase hall. As well as commissioning new paintings, the Parkers looked to buy historic pieces of art.

The painting collection grows

Above the fireplace you can spot an early 17th-century copy of Titian’s painting The Andrians, which is said to have been bought by Joshua Reynolds for the family.

The gold and duck egg blue colour scheme for the Saloon is striking by day. However, just imagine it by candlelight and filled with the music and laughter of a ball.

Saltram's library

Saltram’s library is a wonderful example of an evolving family collection. In 1780, the library moved from its former location, (where the dining room is now), to its current spot.

The oldest book in the library is a copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle. This was published in 1493 and tells the story of the history of the world. Unusually for its time, it contains numerous woodcut print illustrations, around 1,800 of them.

Saltram: the lending library?

Alongside historic texts, the library also has a lighter side. Novels were normally borrowed from libraries rather than purchased. The fact that Saltram has its own novel collection is unusual.

We know that members of the family borrowed them to read so it possible that Saltram acted as a lending library to family and friends.

When it was published in 1813, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice proved as popular among the Parkers as it did wider society.

Metamorphic furniture

Saltram has a few examples of ‘metamorphic’ furniture in the library, which was both useful and attractive. This includes ‘Campbell’s Newly invented Library Steps’, which neatly packs away into a table.

Metamorphic chair

Likewise, a chair designed after Morgan and Standers of London, is a comfortable seat. Turned upside down, it becomes a set of steps.

Whether you prefer the opulent magnificence of the Boulle desks and clocks or the functional simplicity of the copper pots and pans in the kitchen, Saltram has something to see for everyone.

Conservation in action

It remained one of the Parker family homes until 1957 when it was transferred to the National Trust.

Want to learn more about how we look after the collections? We regularly have conservations in action in different rooms, where you can watch our team care for the objects and chat to them about their work.

A view of Saltram's pantry with copper pans and mixing bowls through the door of the Kitchen — A view of Saltram's pantry with copper pans and mixing bowls through the Kitchen | © ©National Trust Images/Sophie Bolesworth

Hidden Treasures of the National Trust

Saltram is one of the central stories featured in this year's Hidden Treasures of the National Trust BBC series.

The programme (which can be viewed on iPlayer at the link below) reveals new and compelling stories about the work going on behind the scenes of the National Trust to conserve incredible objects and properties and the passionate staff and volunteers who care for them.

The episode featuring Saltram includes the conservation of the painting Theresa Robinson, Mrs Jogn Parker by Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Axminster carpet re-weave project as well as the conservation cleaning of one of Saltram's most beloved paintings 'The Ampitheatre At Saltram by William Tomkins'. All of which can be seen on your visit to Saltram House this year.

More about the series

We are proud to share the stories of three major conservation projects as part of series two of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust. Each project represents a ground-breaking approach to conservation and enhances public access to our treasured collections. We believe that the series will not only enlighten but also inspire viewers to experience the beauty and history of Saltram first-hand.

A quote by Zoe ShearmanNational Trust Property Curator at Saltram

Taking photos at Saltram

All visitors to National Trust properties can to take photographs or film outdoors for their own private, non-commercial use. Visitors can also take photographs indoors without flash or tripod again private use such as personal social media accounts and for catupring precious memories. Commerical photography inside the house or garden is not permitted without prior approval. If you are looking to have a photoshoot at Saltram please send your enquiry to saltram@nationaltrust.org.uk.