Tortworth Court was built for the first Earl of Ducie in 1850. A massive fire damaged large parts of the Victorian building in 1991. English Heritage commissioned a report into the structure of the building and revealed that it was in danger of actually falling down. The future looked bleak. Entrepreneur Brian Murtagh saw the mansion and the 30 acres of historic parkland that surrounded it and was determined to restore it to its former glory. A staggering £20 million was spent in the painstaking restoration and the former family home was opened as a four star attraction offering 189 beautifully appointed rooms in June 2001. Ian Heeling, managing director of the hotel group Four Pillars said the refurbishment had brought the house back from the ashes. “We have restored the building to what it was like before the fire and can offer people a country house feel with state of the art facilities.”
Pubs and Breweries in Gloucestershire Past and Present
