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

The Year Ahead At Woburn Abbey and Gardens

Woburn Abbey Garden Show

Woburn Abbey Outdoor Theatre

Woburn Abbey Tri For Life

Woburn Abbey and Gardens is looking ahead to a busy year following the announcement of their 2014 programme of events and exhibitions. From a World War I exhibition to a triathlon in the Deer Park, a Garden Show to a trail of Chinese Wallpapers in the Abbey, there’s something for everyone on offer.

Woburn Abbey is opening two new exhibitions on the 11th April. The first, 'Valiant Hearts: World War I - Woburn and its Stories' commemorates the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. The exhibition will tell the stories of the 11th Duke and Duchess of Bedford, Woburn Abbey itself, and people from the local area during the war. Visitors will be able to see original records and letters, and find out what it was like to train at the local garrison or be treated in the Woburn Military Hospital.

The second exhibition, 'Peeling Back The Years: Chinese Wallpaper at Woburn Abbey' will examine the decorative history of the building and give you a chance to discover the story of the 4th Duke's bedroom through its layers of wallpaper. As visitors explore the Abbey they see documents showing how these wallpapers were made, sold and hung.

Having won the Georgian Group Award for Restoration of a Georgian Garden or Landscape this year, the gardeners are continuing their plans to restore more historic features in the Gardens. The Woburn Abbey Garden Show is back for its 5th year, with a wide variety of stalls, demonstrations and talks from horticultural experts on offer. There’s also a chance to take part in a free Gardens tour every month as part of their series of ‘Come and Grow’ events.

For the more adventurous, the Cycletta or Tri For Life events offer a reason to get in shape whilst raising money for charities like Macmillan, Great Ormond Street and Rays of Sunshine. The Woburn Country Fair takes place in June with a weekend of fun filled country pursuits taking place in the appropriate surroundings of the Woburn Abbey Deer Park.

Woburn Abbey is also putting on two open air productions from the Pantaloons Theatre Company in July, with performances of ‘History of Britain' and the Shakespearian classic, 'The Tempest'.

The events calendar also includes historical re-enactments, car rallies, and gardening study days. Visit www.woburnabbey.co.uk or call 01525 290333 for more information.

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Woburn Abbey & Gardens is a member of the Treasure Houses of England, ten of the most magnificent palaces, stately homes and castles in England. http://www.treasurehouses.co.uk

Location

Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire MK 17 9WA

Just south east of Milton Keynes, Woburn Abbey is signposted from junctions 12 and 13 of the M1. It is also easily accessible from the A5.

Chatsworth chosen as ‘UK coach destination of the year’

Emma Handley & Harriet receive UK Coach Award April13

The UK coach industry has awarded Chatsworth its highest accolade by naming the Peak District country estate as ‘UK coach destination of the year’.

At the UK Coach Awards on Saturday 20 April, Chatsworth won the award for ‘Most coach friendly historic attraction’. As one of four category winners for coach-friendliness amongst local authorities, historic attractions, visitor attractions and shopping attractions, Chatsworth was put forward for the overall award.

Chatsworth was chosen as the ‘UK Coach Destination of the Year’ for offering the warmest welcome to coaches and their passengers. The estate’s efforts to accommodate group travel greatly impressed the judges who noted a popular meet and greet service; a high quality welcome for coach drivers; and a high standard of catering amongst the factors in their decision.

Paul Hayes, Visitor Services Manager at Chatsworth said: “We make a lot of effort with coach parties including both a welcome and farewell talk from our team, great group deals, free parking, special tours and a lot more so we’re delighted to have been recognised with this award.

“We don’t forget the drivers either. They are made very welcome in a dedicated rest-room equipped with comfortable seating and television. Every coach driver is given a voucher for food during their visit and they get free admission to the house and garden.”

Held at Alton Towers resort and hosted by BBC Breakfast's Carol Kirkwood, the awards were presented by Malcolm Robson, President of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, in front of more than 300 key players in the coaching and coach tourism industry.

The UK Coach Awards are designed to recognise and reward quality and success in the UK coach and coach tourism industry. Coach companies are asked to nominate attractions, local authorities and industry suppliers as well as service providers and manufacturers.

The awards are owned and run by the UK Coach Awards Limited. This is an independent not-for-dividend company especially set up to own and run the awards for the benefit of the coaching and coach tourism industry.