Blenheim Palace New Year Deep Clean

Visitor Services Assistant Reza Kazemi
with Clare Sheridan’s bust of Winston
Churchill which she sculpted in 1942

For many home-owners New Year is the perfect time to make a start on some serious house-cleaning.

However when the ‘house’ in question is World Heritage Site Blenheim Palace and the contents includes priceless works of art and unique historical items a little more scientific approach is required.

A team of Blenheim Palace Cleaners are hard at work on a pre-season ‘deep clean’ of both the Palace itself and its entire collection which includes unique items belonging to Sir Winston Churchill who was born at Blenheim.

Visitor Services Assistant Reza Kazemi
uses a specialist museum vacuum cleaner
on Churchill’s famous siren suit

The cleaning process takes six weeks with a team of up to 10 people working daily.

Blenheim Palace’s Kate Ballenger said: “Each room is carefully stripped of all the furniture and artefacts and is vacuumed from the ceiling to the floor.

“The floors are then cleaned and polished. Whilst this is occurring, our specialist cleaning team carefully clean each item, before it is returned to the room.

“We use a variety of tools from museum vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to natural bristle brushes such as hogs’ hair or pony hair, depending on the object we are cleaning.

“Polishes are kept to a minimum, as they can build up over time and we do not use aerosol sprays. Stubborn dirt is removed by distilled water,” she added.

Among the items undergoing cleaning is one of Churchill’s iconic zipped one-piece siren suits which became forever linked to the great man during WWII. Churchill had them specially-made by his Jermyn Street tailors Turnbull & Asser and dubbed them his ‘romper’ suits.

A comfortable one-piece zipped garment – the siren suit could be quickly put on over other clothing in case of air-raids. It was so popular with Churchill he had a number made in different materials including wool, pinstripe and velvet – like this one.

The famous bust of Sir Winston Churchill created by his first cousin sculptor and writer Clare Sheridan in 1942 is also undergoing a thorough clean in readiness for a newly-created Churchill exhibition which is set to open at Blenheim Palace on February 14th.

The exhibition is part of a major celebration of the great man’s achievements to coincide with the 50th anniversary of his death.
Other new features to mark the anniversary include a ‘Walk in Churchill’s Footsteps’ family trail and a Churchill Memorial Garden, designed by award-winning garden designer Kim Wilkie.

Specific items being cleaned include:

- 40 busts and sculptures
- 28 Marble tables
- 10,000 books
- 18 clocks
- 38 pieces of armour
- 200 pieces of porcelain

Christmas at England's greatest Elizabethan house - Burghley

Christmas at Burghley

Christmas will be even more sparkling this year at England’s greatest Elizabethan house – with a free craft fair, extra seasonal shopping and a feast of festive food.

Dressed for the occasion, Burghley House, on the edge of Stamford, will have more Christmas decorations than ever before, while this year the annual Craft Fair will move to the House, adding to the festive feel around the cobbled courtyards.

For 2014, the Burghley Christmas Fair, run by the Rural Crafts Association, has been brought up the House and will nestle within the Brewhouse and courtyard, close to Burghley’s Orangery restaurant and shops. Entry this year is free of charge and stalls will feature unique textiles, unusual sculptures, artisan chocolates, jewellery and cashmere and silk pashminas (27-30 November, 9am until 5pm and 4pm on Sunday).

Also over that weekend, the free-to-enter Christmas Fine Food Market returns to offer visitors even more tasty treats. A celebration of local produce, stall holders will be selling local cheese, meats, cupcakes, cider and much more in the festively decorated courtyards, Saturday 29th November - Sunday 30th November.

Or how about Christmas carols in the intimate surroundings of the family Chapel within the House? What more traditional way to begin festive celebrations than at the Chapel Carol Concert with music spanning the House’s five centuries of history. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the candlelit Old Kitchen during the interval. (Sunday 14th December). 

For a chance to warm up with some seasonal food and drink, Burghley’s ever-popular Orangery Restaurant - housed in a building that provided space for the family’s love of horticulture and designed by Capability Brown – is now open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am until 4pm, until 21 December.

As well as the autumn and festive menus, a Christmas Afternoon Tea (available 19 November - 21 December) features turkey and cranberry or Stilton and red onion marmalade sandwiches, cranberry and white chocolate blondie and dark chocolate yule log.

For a spot of retail therapy, Burghley's Courtyard Shop is also open while extra seasonal shopping will again be available at the special Christmas Shop in the Brewhouse offering a selection of decorations, festive lighting, winter fragrances, chocolates and cosy winter accessories. Both shops open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm, until 21 December.

While the house may be closed for winter, Burghley's parkland, with its resident herd of deer, remains open with free entry right through the year - perfect for winter walks or a chance to blow away the Christmas cobwebs.

For full details, opening times and to book tickets, see www.burghley.co.uk

Exclusive Dining at Burghley House – Feel like Royalty as you dine in the exclusive surroundgs of Burghley House

Burghley House Great Hall

Burghley has been entertaining guests throughout its history and today provides a wonderful backdrop for a variety of events.

The Great Hall, with its stunning Tudor fireplace was once used by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who dined here during their stay in 1844.

This beautiful room can accommodate up to 100 people seated on rounds or the Victorian banquet table (the very same table used by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert) which seats up to 42 people which provides an unparalleled historic grandeur for those looking to hold a quintessentially English dining experience within one of the country’s finest Elizabethan homes.

For Private or Corporate Dining Enquiries please contact Event Manager Kara Lockyer to discuss your event requirements on 01780 761 992 or kara.lockyer@burghley.co.uk

‘Batsworth House’ in New Conservation Scheme at Chatsworth

A new conservation project at Chatsworth has seen it dubbed ‘Batsworth House’ as it aims to protect and restore the local habitat of hundreds of bats including endangered species.

The ‘Batsworth’ nickname came from conservation team at the Derbyshire estate of the Duke of Devonshire as they created a new home for the area’s bat colony to reduce the disturbance caused by the reopening of the historic Burntwood Quarry to provide new stone for conservation work on the grade 1 listed Chatsworth House.

Made out of excavated sand stone, the bat house features 4-metre deep cellars and a roof space, which will provide cool rooms for the bats to retreat to in hot or cold weather, along with seven bat boxes placed around the quarry perimeter. ‘Batsworth’ will aid the preservation of the local bat population which includes the Common and Soprano Pipstrille, as well as the Brown Long-Eared, Whiskered, Daubenton and Natterer bat.

Sean Doxey, Head of Special Projects at Chatsworth, said: “We do a lot of conservation work around the estate to keep the landscape and its wildlife in the best possible condition for the many thousands of visitors that come here. The bat house will provide a new home for the hundreds of bats that have made Burntwood Quarry their home in the hundred years or so since it was closed."

The reopened site will have almost 30,000 tonnes of new stone removed from a section of the existing quarry face to support heritage repairs to Chatsworth House, stable block and surrounding buildings. The quarry, which has not been used since the early 1900s, was the original source of the Ashover gritstone used to build Chatsworth in 1687.

The Peak District National Park Authority approved plans to reopen Burntwood Quarry last November after agreeing that small scale quarrying of local stone for use on the nationally important Chatsworth House was in the public interest.

An extra special 40th Anniversary Living Crafts at Hatfield House

Visitors will be treated to an extra special event in May when Living Crafts celebrates four decades of promoting British crafting excellence. Hundreds of designer-makers will be hosted at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, from Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th May, and Monty Don, a great admirer of our nation’s craft heritage, will be visiting the event to mark the anniversary on Friday 9th May.

Showcasing the passion of specially selected designer-makers and artists, Living Crafts gives you the opportunity to buy or commission unique, contemporary art and craft direct from the makers.  As one of the largest events of its kind in Europe, visitors will have an inspiring and creative experience, full of fantastic demonstrations, workshops and masterclasses.

Monty Don

Robin Younger, the show’s organiser says “To celebrate our 40th Anniversary we are planning a craft extravaganza with both contemporary and heritage craft of the highest quality and will welcome highly-skilled designer-makers from across the UK.  There will be plenty of new features and this year we are delighted to welcome the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, who further British craftsmanship through grants and education and The Prince’s Trust, which has inspired and changed the lives of budding craftsmen and women across the country”.

The show will be buzzing with activity and visitors will have the opportunity to get involved in the many workshops for adults and children. Why not have some hands on experience and create your own masterpiece in oils, fuse your own glass jewellery or try textile block printing, papermaking, pyrography, decoupage and origami, just some of the many workshops available. Specialist demonstrations will be taking place featuring wildlife artists, glassblowers, sculptors and watercolour artists, all leaders in their fields, who will be demonstrating their skills in pavilions around the showground.

Living Crafts takes place in matted marquees in the beautiful parkland at Hatfield House and has a lively atmosphere with entertainment, including steel and jazz bands and traditional dancing. There is a specialist food and drink tent where you can buy those tasty treats, quality refreshments and free car parking next to the showground.  Visitors will have the added bonus of complimentary admission to stunning West Gardens and ‘The Great British Sculpture Show’, featuring twenty-four leading British figurative sculptors.

Living Crafts

Living Crafts is much more than just a craft show, a perfect destination whether you are a craft connoisseur or looking for a great family day out.

Please visit www.livingcrafts.co.uk or call 02392 863 871 for further details.

Newly-restored Butterfly House Re-opens to Visitors

Blenheim Palace’s new Butterfly House has re-opened its doors to visitors following a £100,000 renovation project.

Restored Butterfly House

Kia Hopewell Smith, aged nine, at
Blenheim Palace's newly restored
Butterfly House

A group of youngsters helped release dozens of exotic butterfly species from Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines in to the new house.

As well as creating an entirely new structure to house the collection, the renovation programme has also increased the overall size of the butterfly area, and doubled the size of the water feature.

There is also a whole new hatchery area where visitors can see the pupae develop within their chrysalises before being released in to the main area.

Garden staff have also been hard at work planting a wide variety of nectar-rich flowers including marguerite, black eyed Susan’s, hydrangea and hibiscus. There are also sugar bowls and fruit from which the butterflies can feed.

Head of Gardens, Hilary Wood, said: “It’s been a huge amount of work to get the Butterfly House open but we’re all absolutely delighted with the results.

“The work has safeguarded the building for many years to come and has also allowed us to improve the overall visitor experience while also developing and adding to the existing facilities for the butterflies.

“It’s an amazing sight to see the house filled with exotic butterflies once again and we’re expecting many more to hatch out over the coming days” she added.

http://www.blenheimpalace.com/

Join the Easter Bunny after a spot of Tudor treasure hunting at England's greatest Elizabethan house, Burghley.

Easter egg hunting, riddle-solving in a Tudor trick garden and a feast of regional food at a pop-up market will offer a tasty treat for visitors to England’s greatest Elizabethan house this April.

Enjoy the Easter Trail

Burghley House, nestling on the edge of the Georgian stone town of Stamford in Lincolnshire, provides the spectacular backdrop for the annual Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday (20 April) in the Tudor-inspired Gardens of Surprise… with a spot of riddle-solving thrown in for good measure!

For a pre-Easter treat, Burghley’s Fine Food Market – one of three held at the House every year – will see pop-up market stalls spring up in the cobbled courtyard, where around 30 local suppliers in will be selling regional produce, (12-13 April).

A week before Easter weekend, the free admission Fine Food Market in the Stable Courtyard will offer handmade cheeses, artisan breads, organic vegetables, luxury sweet treats and rare breed meats (open 10am to 4pm on both days). 


The popular Burghley Easter Egg Hunt returns on Sunday 20th April 

and once again takes place in the family-friendly Gardens of Surprise, inspired by a Tudor “trick” garden established by the first Lord Burghley and boasting 32 squirting and bubbling water features.

Follow the treasure hunt around the Gardens and solve the riddle to claim a full size chocolate egg from the Easter Bunny. Parents can also test their Easter knowledge to try and win a family Season Card. All entries will go in to the prize draw for a giant chocolate Easter Bunny. (Open from 11am to 4.30pm). Free with a House and Gardens or Gardens Only ticket.

Visitors over the Easter holidays will also be able to enjoy a wander through the normally closed South Gardens. Usually only viewed from the windows of the State Rooms above, these formal gardens are dominated by the mature oak and lime trees, planted by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1844, but also offer a spectacular display of spring flowers.

The South Gardens offer magnificent seasonal displays of narcissi and spring bulbs, and will be open until Monday 21st April 

from 11am to 4pm (last admission 3.30pm). Admission by donation.

For full details of opening times, all events and to book online tickets, visit www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.

Treasure Houses Win at Hudson's Heritage Awards 2014 - WINNER: Chatsworth House for BEST HERITAGE PICNIC SPOT

WINNER:  Chatsworth House, Derbyshire

BEST HERITAGE PICNIC SPOT

Chatsworth House

For the first time in 2014 the winner of this award was nominated by a member of the general public. It is an award for a heritage site which is a special place to have a picnic.  This place for a picnic was nominated by Mrs Olwen Wright, who wins a Hudson’s hamper for 6.

This is an extract from her nomination….

“As we entered the parkland and got our first view of the House and its surrounds, our grandchildren, aged 9 and 14, who would never usually comment, both said “Wow!”
There is something for everybody, whatever their age or inclination on the Estate. So many beautiful designated picnic areas, and even a hut to buy picnic food if you decide on the spur of the moment! Nothing here is forgotten and it adds up to a memorable day.”


2014 Hudson's Heritage Award Winners

About Hudson's Awards

The Treasure Houses Of England

The Treasure Houses of England are 10 of the most magnificent palaces, houses and castles in England today. Together they attract in excess of 2.8 million visitors annually.

Members are Beaulieu, Blenheim Palace, Burghley, Castle Howard, Chatsworth, Harewood, Hatfield House, Holkham Hall, Leeds Castle and Woburn Abbey.

One of the most compelling features of the Treasure Houses of England is that they all offer the visitor a living history. Most are still homes to the great families who have owned them for generations. Others keep their heritage alive by re-creating scenes and events that have dominated and shaped England from the 9th century to the present day.

Between them they house some of the most important art collections in the world with famous works from artists such as Van Dyck and Gainsborough. The connoisseur of fine furniture, porcelain and china will find priceless examples of Chippendale, Wedgwood and Meissen.
Each house is an architectural masterpiece surrounded by beautiful parklands and gardens.

A Burghley Christmas

Deer at Burghley

While the house may be closed for winter, Burghley's sweeping parkland, with its resident herd of deer, remains open with free entry right through the year - perfect for winter walks and a chance to blow away those cobwebs during the Christmas break. 
For a chance to warm up with some seasonal food and drink in the run-up to Christmas, Burghley’s ever-popular Orangery Restaurant, housed in a building that provided space for the family’s love of horticulture and designed by Capability Brown, will be open until 20th December, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am until 4pm. 
Burghley's newly refurbished Courtyard Shop will also be open until 20th December (11am until 4pm) while visitors will also get a chance to do some extra seasonal shopping at the special Christmas Shop in the Brewhouse offering a selection of decorations, festive lighting, winter fragrances, chocolates and cosy winter accessories such as hats, gloves and scarves as well as a large selection of Christmas cards. 
For a taste of Christmas, the end of this month features Crafts for Christmas and a free-to-enter Fine Food Market in the magnificent parklands and courtyard at England’s greatest Elizabethan House. 

A celebration of local produce offers some festive food treats at the Christmas Fine Food Market, Saturday 30th November - Sunday 1st December. Stall holders will be selling local cheese, meats, cupcakes, cider and much more in the cobbled courtyards. 
Special Festive Floral Workshops will also be staged 28th and 29th November with Burghley's head gardener John Burrows. He will reveal how to make either a beautiful table centre or festive garland that visitors can take home with them, with all materials and refreshments provided (booking is essential for the workshops).

And the popular Crafts for Christmas run by the Rural Crafts Association event returns to Burghley, Thursday 28th November - Sunday 1st December, when a marquee in the picturesque parkland provides a festive space for talented makers and designers from all over the UK producing top quality products all brought together under one roof. 
Free entry to Fine Food Market, details of ticket prices and booking for the Festive Floral Workshops and Craft for Christmas event available on Burghley's website.