Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Surprise Visit to Historic House

Aug. 24, 2011 - PRLog -- Hollywood glamour couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie caused a stir when they swapped the glitz of Beverley Hills to pay homage to one of Scotland's most celebrated cultural icons.

The stars visited Hill House in Helensburgh, near Glasgow, to view the work of celebrated architect Charles Rennie Macintosh during a break in the filming of Brad's latest blockbuster, the zombie horror film World War Z.

The house, which was built overlooking the River Clyde for publisher Walter Blackie in 1902, is regarded as one of the best examples of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Brad Pitt, who is a fan of the architect, has been to Hill House once before, during a break in filming Interview with a Vampire in 1994, but it was the first time he had gone with Angelina.

The early morning visit took staff at the National Trust for Scotland property by surprise.

“We had a private tour booked for 10 people so we just assumed it was a normal morning. It wasn't until Brad and Angelina stepped out of the car that we realised it was them,” Karen Fenwick, Retail Manager of Hill House, told Helensburgh.tv (http://helensburgh.urtv.co.uk/)

“Lorna Hepburn, the manager of the house gave them a private tour and took them from room to room. They asked her questions and apparently they were very knowledgeable about Charles Rennie Mackintosh.”

After touring the property the couple walked around the landscaped gardens, mingling with surprised members of the public.

“We did ask Brad if he would sign the guestbook and he was very clever because he printed their names and then wrote a little note to say thank you. He didn't actually sign it. I guess he thought somebody would tear it out or steal it,” added Karen.

“They did say they've been enjoying their time in Scotland and that they were having a total Scottish experience.”

The couple have been staying at Carnell Estate in Ayrshire during the filming of World War Z in Glasgow as the city's central square has been transformed into a substitute for down-town Philadelphia.

A report on Hill House, including a glimpse of the architectural treasures viewed by Brad and Angelina, can be found at http://helensburgh.urtv.co.uk/stories/131-the-hill-house.

Helensburgh.tv is part of a network of online URTV social media television stations being rolled out to towns across the UK providing a daily diet of news, features and information for local communities.

It began broadcasting to the home town of the television pioneer John Logie Baird on January 26 2011, the 85th anniversary of the inventor's first public demonstration of television.

URTV has been at the forefront of pioneering commercially viable hyperlocal broadband television for local communities and is the first social TV network in the world to develop an iPhone application for viewers to contribute local news and advertisements via video.

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