VISITORS will be given a unique chance to get onto the scaffolding of Dyrham Park and see the work being done to replace the 150-year-old leaking roof on the National Trust mansion.


A new fully accessible rooftop walkway will allow visitors to watch the builders stripping 46 tonnes of lead and 8,000 Welsh slates from the roof before repairing and rebuilding it from Saturday, as part of the £3.8 million project to safeguard the future of the 17th-century house.


The solid walkway, which is 230 metres long, is all on one level and gives views of the split level roof. There are two large 7.5 metre viewing platforms looking out over the ancient deer park and the formal West garden with its picturesque ponds and Perry pear orchard.


It has taken a team of five scaffolders and builders almost four months to complete the mammoth plastic wrapped structure to allow the roof to be removed. The scaffolding is 29m high at its highest point.


Colette Cuddihy, the National Trust’s project manager, said: “This is a major project for us – the roof is 150-years-old and we’d expect the new one to last at least as long. So it really is a once in a lifetime chance to get up onto the scaffolding and to see the extent of the work needed to take apart such a large and complex roof and make it weather tight and secure for the future.


“We have used 500 tonnes of scaffolding to clad the house – it was specially designed to include the new walkway which circles the whole roof with two viewing platforms giving a view both inwards over the roof and out from the scaffolding across the park and gardens of Dyrham Park. It is fully accessible with a lift as well as stairs.”


Visitors to the mansion will also have the chance to leave their own message on the roof by signing one of the new slates, in return for a £25 donation to the fundraising campaign.


Dyrham Park’s general manager, Cath Pye, said: “As a charity, the National Trust relies entirely on donations, grants and legacies as well as its membership and commercial income.


“The support already shown by the public for Dyrham Park has been fantastic. We have had support from thousands of people so far making contributions both large and small.


“We are very grateful to them and to our volunteers at Dyrham Park. We have created the sign a slate idea to give more people the chance to show their support and make a connection with the property that will last for years to come.”


The rooftop walkway will be open daily from 10am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm.