The destruction of Marble Hill did not solve the government’s problem of what to do with either the site or the building. They no longer had ongoing costs of maintenance, but the stone walls had proved too solidly-constructed to tear down and be done with forever. It was left as a neglected ruin, subject to almost nightly vandalism and the ravages of nature.

“In 1967, the property was vested in the National Trust. Restoration work began in earnest in 1973. By 1975, the stables had been restored as tea-rooms, and work had started on the main building. It was opened to the public as a reserve. By 1979, the tower and a couple of rooms in the main building had been rebuilt, though not exactly as they had been before. Unfortunately, this was as far as the reconstruction went, and Marble Hill again fell into neglect.
“By 1987, the National Trust had abandoned hope of rebuilding the structure, and was unable to support ongoing maintenance. Anxious about costs and security, the site was closed to the public in 1992, and the administration of the site was vested in the Department of Environment and Heritage.
“In 1994, a community group was set up called the Friends of Marble Hill. They reopened the site to the public several times a year and undertook valuable maintenance, but were plagued by the same problems of funding and apathy that had troubled the National Trust.