78 Derngate facts for kids
78 Derngate is a special old house in Northampton, England. It was built way back in 1815 in the Georgian style, which means it has a classic, balanced look. What makes it really unique is that its inside was completely changed in 1916 and 1917 by a famous designer named Charles Rennie Mackintosh. He redesigned it for a businessman named Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke and his wife.
Mackintosh's designs for 78 Derngate are super important because they 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 with lots of geometric shapes and bold patterns.
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The back of the house has a special addition with two balconies. In 1916, these balconies looked out over open fields! People have wondered if Mackintosh designed this part all by himself. Some research suggests that Mr. Bassett-Lowke and another architect from Northampton, Alexander Ellis Anderson, might have also helped with this design.
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A New Home and School Days
In 1926, the Bassett-Lowkes moved to a new, very modern house called New Ways. This house was designed by another famous architect, Peter Behrens. It's also a special historic building, just like 78 Derngate.
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 for students.
Bringing the House Back to Life
After being a school, the house needed a lot of care. In 2002, work began to bring 78 Derngate back to how Mackintosh designed it. This huge project was led by architects John McAslan + Partners. A team of experts worked hard to fix or recreate all the original parts of Mackintosh's design.
After about 18 months of hard work, the house opened to the public in late 2003. Now, you can visit 78 Derngate to see Mackintosh's amazing designs up close. You can take a guided tour or explore on your own.
Visiting 78 Derngate Today
Right next to 78 Derngate, in the building at number 80, there's a museum that helps you learn more about the house. In 2003, the Discovery Channel even made a TV show about the restoration called The House That Mackintosh Built. It showed how the house was being brought back to life.
In May 2007, a new visitors' center opened at 82 Derngate. This building has even more for visitors, including a restaurant, art galleries, meeting rooms, a shop, and a reception area. There are often special art shows and events happening there. A group called 'Friends of 78 Derngate' helps raise money to keep improving the project. On October 3, 2013, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, visited the house to celebrate its 10th anniversary of being open to the public.
Celebrating History and Art
On March 21, 2017, a special event was held at 78 Derngate to celebrate 100 years since W. J. Bassett-Lowke and Florence Jane Jones got married. There was also an exhibition called "Charles Rennie Mackintosh & The Great War" from February 1 to April 29, 2017. This exhibition showed Mackintosh's later work and how the First World War affected his designs for 78 Derngate. It was the biggest display of Mackintosh's work ever seen in England! Experts also gave talks and workshops during the exhibition.
In 2018, artist and TV presenter Lachlan Goudie featured 78 Derngate in his BBC show, Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Glasgow's Neglected Genius. He said that Mackintosh's work at 78 Derngate was "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 though the First World War made things difficult.
