Golden Dragons for Dumfries House

​Four spectacular hand carved Wyverns (Dragons) have been created from Accoya by specialist joinery and woodcarving contractors Houghtons of York. The gilded Wyverns have been fitted to the corners of the swept roof of a new Chinese Bridge over the river Lugar at Dumfries House in Ayrshire.

Due to the exposed location the Wyverns had to be made from a maintenance free, stable and durable material. Accoya was selected due to its dimensional stability which led Houghtons to propose its use to the projects design team. To achieve the colouring the Accoya was coated with 23 carat gold leaf.

The new bridge opened by HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, brings to life the original 1899 design by Robert Schultz that was never realised at the time. The project has brought together elements of the Shultz ‘Chippendale Chinese style’ design with modern materials and traditional techniques to produce a stunning addition to the estate which will be enjoyed by the many visitors it attracts each year.
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Houghtons of York are members of the BWF and have received The BWF Technical award for Excellence & Innovation in 2014 & 2015.