Clandon Park restoration to show house 'laid bare'

In 2015 a fire burned through the Grade I listed building

National Trust An aerial view of the house which has been burned out by fire. The outside and inside walls remain but the inner floors are gone and so is the roof. The gardens surrounding the house are green and manicured. — In 2015 a fire burned through the Grade I listed building

The planned restoration of Clandon Park, a Grade I listed home gutted by fire, will show it as a "country house laid bare" as proposals move forward.

An accidental fire at the 18th Century home near Guildford in 2015 burned through floors and ceilings, destroying much of the historical collection.

The brick exterior and shell of the house remained intact, and a planning application has now been submitted to the local council for works planned by the National Trust.

But there are calls to do more to restore the interior of the house, with one critic calling the proposal an "act of barbarism".

The plans include walkways and staircases inside the house

National Trust A cut-through picture of the house which shows the bare walls including damaged parts with bare plaster while wooden walkways are seen at ground and first floor level and with a cafe in the basement — The plans include walkways and staircases inside the house

The National Trust described the work to be done at Clandon Park as "one of the largest and most complex projects the National Trust has ever undertaken".

Its plans are to weatherproof the building, stabilise what remains of it and keep its "exposed, laid-bare state", letting visitors "learn from and enjoy the aesthetics of the post-fire condition of the mansion".

New walkways and staircases are planned in the building's ground and first floors and the plasterwork ceiling of the Speakers' Parlour and its timber panelling, which survived the fire, will be restored.

A new roof terrace is also planned, as well as a cafe and roof lights to light the space.

The fire in 2015 was started accidentally

Getty Images Fire engines surround the house which is seen from the distance with large flames coming out of its left hand roof and also seen through lower windows on the right side of the building. — The fire in 2015 was started accidentally

The Restore Trust has previously called for the restoration of the house's Marble Hall and other interiors, claiming the National Trust should be "focused on preserving historic houses".

Classical architect Francis Terry pointed to the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was damaged by fire in 2019 and reopened last month, and Uppark house in West Sussex which was devastated by a fire in August 1989 and later restored.

He also highlighted the work that would be provided to specialist tradespeople if more restoration were to be done at the house.

The plans for the house have divided opinion

National Trust The bare walls of the house are seen with a new wooden walkway added in at first floor level with a person sitting on a bench and others looking over the railings and through doorways. — The plans for the house have divided opinion

Describing the plans as an "act of barbarism", he added: "Proposing the current design is not a good legacy for either the National Trust or Guildford Borough Council.

"History will not remember them kindly."

A National Trust spokesperson said more than 75,000 people and a "huge number of multi-disciplinary experts" had been consulted as the plans were created.

They added: "We value their constructive and thoughtful input and will continue active dialogues with all these organisations and individuals as the project progresses.

"We believe we have found the best way forward for Clandon and the details are presented in our planning application, so we warmly encourage anyone who would like to engage to refer to these."

The council said a date had not yet been set for the application coming to planning committee.

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