Hidden bedroom revealed at historic house

A "hidden piece of history" has been brought back to life after months of conservation work.

The north-east bedroom at Mompesson House in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has been returned to how it would have appeared in the eighteenth century.

It is the first time the house, which featured in the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility, has been presented in this way since the National Trust opened it to visitors in 1977.

Georgiana Cooper, collections and house officer, said: "When I first saw the north-east bedroom a few years ago, I was so intrigued by its potential, and to see that realised has been so exciting. I can't wait for visitors to be able to see more of Mompesson than they ever have before."

Work began on the bedroom, which had never previously been open to the public, in January, after planning permission was granted by Wiltshire Council.

Original wall panelling and papier-mâché detailing have helped restore the bedroom.

The restoration work has also brought to light the stories of Mompesson's former residents, from the Mompesson family and the Bishops of Salisbury to its last resident, Denis Martineau.

Items rarely on display, such as a selection of Victorian resident Barbara Townsend's watercolours, have also been put on display.

"We have lots of different stories to tell in the house, and the space really gives us the opportunity to explore all the families that called Mompesson home," Cooper previously said.

Mompesson House has been owned by the National Trust since 1975. It is named after Charles Mompesson, son of politician Thomas Mompesson, who created the building in 1701.

It was used as the set for Mrs Jennings' London townhouse in the Sense and Sensibility film.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.