78 Derngate facts for kids

78 Derngate is a special house in Northampton, England. It was first built in 1815 in the Georgian style. This means it was built when King George was on the throne, and it has a classic, balanced look.

What makes 78 Derngate truly unique is its inside. Between 1916 and 1917, a famous architect named Charles Rennie Mackintosh completely changed the interior. He designed it for a businessman called Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke, who lived there with his wife. Mackintosh's designs for this house are thought to be some of the very first examples of the Art Deco style in Britain. Art Deco is a cool, modern design style from the 1920s and 1930s, known for its bold shapes and rich colours.

The back of the house has an extension with two balconies. Back in 1916, these balconies looked out over open fields! Some people used to think Mackintosh designed this part all by himself. But now, we know that Mr. Bassett-Lowke and another architect, Alexander Ellis Anderson, might have helped with the design too.

A Special House with History

78 Derngate is a "Grade II* listed building." This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected. It's like a national treasure!

Moving On and New Uses

In 1926, the Bassett-Lowkes moved to a new house called New Ways. This house was also very modern for its time.

For many years, from 1964 to 1993, 78 Derngate was used by Northampton High School for girls. It started as offices and later became classrooms. Imagine having lessons in such a unique, historic building!

Bringing the House Back to Life

In 2002, a big project began to bring 78 Derngate back to how Mackintosh designed it. Architects John McAslan + Partners led this work. A team of experts worked hard to fix or recreate all the original features from Mackintosh's time.

After about 18 months of careful work, the house opened to the public in late 2003. Now, you can visit and see Mackintosh's amazing designs for yourself! You can take a guided tour or explore on your own.

Visiting 78 Derngate Today

Right next to 78 Derngate, in number 80, there's a museum. It helps visitors learn even more about the house and its history.

In 2003, a TV show called The House That Mackintosh Built was shown on the Discovery Channel. It followed the restoration work as it happened, showing how the house was brought back to life.

A Modern Visitor Centre

In May 2007, a new visitor centre opened at 82 Derngate. This building was also restored and offers more for visitors. It has a restaurant, art galleries, meeting rooms, a shop, and a reception area. There are often special exhibitions and events happening.

A group called 'Friends of 78 Derngate' helps raise money to keep improving the project. In 2013, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester even visited to celebrate the house being open to the public for 10 years!

Celebrating Mackintosh's Work

On March 21, 2017, a special event was held at 78 Derngate. It celebrated 100 years since W. J. Bassett-Lowke and Florence Jane Jones got married.

There was also a special exhibition called "Charles Rennie Mackintosh & The Great War." It showed Mackintosh's later work and how the First World War might have affected his designs for 78 Derngate. This was the biggest display of Mackintosh's designs ever seen in England! Experts gave talks and workshops during the exhibition.

Featured on TV

Artist and TV presenter Lachlan Goudie featured 78 Derngate in his BBC show, Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Glasgow's Neglected Genius. This show was made to celebrate 150 years since Mackintosh was born.

Goudie described the work at 78 Derngate as "the dazzling work of an artist willing to risk losing control." He saw the house's interior as a bold attempt by Mackintosh to make a comeback, even with the challenges of the First World War happening around him.