Clandon Park
| Clandon Park | |
|
National Trust | |
|---|---|
 Clandon House | |
| Grid reference: | TQ042512 |
| Information | |
| Website: | Clandon Park |
Clandon Park is an 18th-century Palladian mansion in West Clandon just outside Guildford in Surrey. It has been a National Trust property since 1956 and is a Grade I listed building.[1] The housed was ravaged by fire on 29 April 2015.[2]
History
The house was built, or perhaps thoroughly rebuilt, around 1730–33 (the latter date is on rainwater leads), designed by the Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni, replacing an Elizabethan property. The estate had been bought in 1641, together with Temple Court Farm at Merrow, by Sir Richard Onslow, MP for Surrey in the Long Parliament, from Sir Richard Weston, canal builder & pioneering agriculturalist, of nearby Sutton Place.[3] The new building was commissioned by his great-grandson Thomas, 2nd Baron Onslow. Many members of the Onslow family followed political careers—three of them, including Arthur Onslow, were Speakers of the House of Commons. Clandon Park's interiors, which were finished into the 1740s, feature a two-storey Marble Hall, containing marble chimney pieces by the Flemish sculptor Michael Rysbrack.
To the landscape gardens designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in 1781 have been added a parterre (illustration), grotto, the sunken Dutch garden created by Frances, Countess of Onslow in the late 19th century,
Hinemihi
A Māori meeting house (known as a wharenui) stands in the grounds. Named Hinemihi, the house was originally situated near Lake Tarawera in New Zealand and provided shelter to the people of Te Wairoa village during the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886. The building was covered in ash and surrounded by volcanic debris, but its occupants survived. It remained half buried until 1892 when Lord Onslow, then Governor of New Zealand, had it removed and shipped to Surrey.
The nature of Hinemihi and its meaning for the local and expatriate Maori community in London was explored by Cecilie Gravesen in her experimental film Between Humans and Other Things.[4] During the 2012 Summer Olympics, the New Zealand team visited Hinemihi.
National Trust: 1956-present
In 1956, Onslow's daughter Gwendolen, Countess Iveagh, gave Clandon Park to the National Trust. The house was extensively restored and redecorated under the direction of John Fowler to present a beautiful Georgian mansion in all its glory. Furthermore, a fine collection of 18th century furniture and porcelain was housed in the mansion, a collection gathered by Hannah Gubbay and the Ivo Forde Meissen collection of Italian comedy figures. To this were added Mortlake tapestries and other textiles and carpets.
When the mansion was swept by fire in April 2015, efforts were made to save the furniture and porcelain collections, though a great deal perished.
The building is also the home of the Surrey Infantry Museum with artefacts and memorabilia about the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment and the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, to the extent that these have survived. The house has also been a popular local wedding venue.
2015 Fire
On the afternoon of 29 April 2015, a fire started in the house's basement, and quickly spread to the roof.[2] At 16:09 Surrey Fire and Rescue Service received an emergency call, and the fire was subsequently attended by a total of 16 fire engines and over 80 personnel.[2] While fire fighters tackled the blaze National Trust volunteers were joined by conservators in recovering items from the house.[2] Items were first stored on the lawns then placed in bubble wrap and sent to a local storage unit.[2] Surrey Fire and Rescue Service remained at the property until the fire was fully extinguished and then began an investigation into the cause of the fire.[2][5]
Although significant amounts of items were salvaged from the fire, the house was left a gutted shell; with the roofs, ceilings and floors having fallen into the basement.[6]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Clandon Park) |
- Clandon Park information at the National Trust
- Hinemihi
References
- ↑ National Heritage List 1294591: Clandon Park
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Clandon Park House in Surrey hit by major fire". BBC News. 29 April 2015. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. http://www.webcitation.org/6Y9ulNpFj.
- ↑ Harrison, p.121,p.133
- ↑ Gravesen, C. 2012 Between Humans and Other Things: Conservation as Material Fabric in Contemporary Art. Journal of Conservation and Museum Studies 10(1), DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/jcms.1011201
- ↑ Stubbings, David (29 April 2015). "Clandon Park fire: 'Massive' amount of smoke seen from 18th century house". Get Surrey website (Trinity Mirror Southern). Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. http://www.webcitation.org/6Y9uTcgFD.
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-32528435 Clandon Park House fire: Mansion left a 'shell'
- Harrison, Frederic. Annals of an Old Manor House: Sutton Place, Guildford. London, 1899.archive.org on-line text
- Howard Colvin, Biographical Dictionary of British Architects