Grant funding to transform visitor experience at Scolton Manor House

Plans to transform the visitor experience at Scolton Manor House will be supported by an additional 10% match funding contribution from allocated capital planning and programming for the Museum Service.

The two-year project, titled Scolton House: It’s Bigger on the Inside, will modernise and reimagine the historic manor house, creating a more welcoming, immersive and accessible experience for visitors of all ages.

Work on the project will begin in September 2026. The first phase, due for completion by March 2027, will deliver the new welcome space and digital interpretation, ready for visitors during the 2027 tourist season. The second phase, focusing on the servants’ areas and cellar, will run from April 2027 and conclude by March 2028.

While the park’s outdoor spaces have benefited from extensive investment, the Museum Service identified the manor house itself as the next priority for development, with many of its existing displays dating back to the 1990s.

The new project will introduce a dedicated welcome and retail space at the heart of the house, creating an engaging visitor hub while supporting local suppliers and the local circular economy.

Visitors will also benefit from new digital touchscreen interpretation bringing to life the people, objects and stories that have shaped Scolton’s remarkable history.

A major element of the project will see the redevelopment of the servants’ quarters and cellar, opening up previously underused areas and transforming them into fully accessible interactive visitor spaces.

Museum staff describe the house as a “heritage time machine”, with visitors able to step through the front door and travel across generations of Pembrokeshire’s past.

The grant was awarded by the Welsh Government in April 2026 as part of its continued commitment to placing culture and heritage at the heart of Welsh life.

Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, Cllr Rhys Sinnett said: “By investing in Scolton Manor House, the project will not only preserve and celebrate Pembrokeshire’s rich history but also help attract more visitors to the estate, supporting the long-term sustainability of one of the county’s most popular heritage attractions.

“When the project is complete in 2028, visitors can look forward to discovering that there really is much more to Scolton House than first meets the eye. From elegant Victorian drawing rooms to hidden servants’ spaces below stairs, the experience promises to reveal a house that is, quite literally, bigger on the inside.”

The Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport, Heledd Fychan, said: "Museums, libraries and archives are at the heart of our communities across Wales. These are places where people connect with our culture and history, where children discover a love of reading, and where older people share their memories. They are places everyone should feel welcome. This investment will make a real difference, protecting vital collections, improving access and ensuring our cultural spaces are fit for the future.”

Visitors will also benefit from new digital touchscreen interpretation bringing to life the people, objects and stories that have shaped Scolton’s remarkable history.

A major element of the project will see the redevelopment of the servants’ quarters and cellar, opening up previously underused areas and transforming them into fully accessible interactive visitor spaces.

Museum staff describe the house as a “heritage time machine”, with visitors able to step through the front door and travel across generations of Pembrokeshire’s past.

The grant was awarded by the Welsh Government in April 2026 as part of its continued commitment to placing culture and heritage at the heart of Welsh life.