This September, as part of the Heritage Open Days festival (6th-15th September), the National Trust will be revealing some of the surprising objects that have been unearthed at Clandon Park, following the fire which gutted the building in 2015.
Archaeological excavations since the fire have exposed the many rich layers of history hidden beneath the house and within its bones. Now, members of the public will get a chance to see and handle some of the objects that were saved from the fire, and to meet the team involved.
There will be hands-on workshops, demonstrations from heritage craftspeople showing how the house was made, talks by conservation specialists about how they are preserving what remains, and the chance to learn more about the Trust’s future plans for Clandon.
The objects on display will range from 55-million-year old sharks’ teeth discovered during excavations in the basement, makers’ marks revealed after the fire, which tell us more about the joinery and fittings in the house and about the people who crafted them – and the contents of a mysterious safe, which have unlocked important new insights into life ‘below stairs’ at Clandon. Many of the objects have never been on display before.
Jessica Maynard, Senior Project Coordinator, said: “Our work since the fire has shone a spotlight on the craftspeople who helped build Clandon and on those who served and worked there. The discoveries we have made have given us a much better understanding of the hundreds of ordinary people with extraordinary skills who have left their imprint on Clandon, even now.
“We are looking forward to being able to host these public events on site for the first time in over a year, and to sharing some of the objects we have found and the stories they tell.”
Entry to Clandon during the Heritage Open Days festival is free and available to everyone. You do not have to be a National Trust member. Pre-booking for some events is required.
7th September, 11:00-15:00 Historic objects and materials demonstration, displays, hands on creative activities
8th September, 11:00-15:00 Drop-in print workshop, historic objects and materials demonstration, displays, hands on creative activities
12th September, 16.00-19.00 An evening of short talks about what’s been happening behind the scenes
13th September, 11:00-15:00 Displays and hands on creative activities.
14th September, 11:00-15:00 Heritage crafts demonstration, displays, hands on creative activities
15th September, 11.00-15.00 Heritage crafts workshop with a mortar and stone specialist, displays, hands on creative activities
Clandon House has been closed for the past year for essential works. Although the site will be open for Heritage Open Days, access to the house itself is still not possible and all activities will be in a marquee in the garden, with limited facilities available. Full details of all events and prebooking information can be found online: Visit for Heritage Open Day at Clandon Park | National Trust
