Leoni's Palladian Vision
Clandon Park was built in the 1720s and 1730s by the Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni for the 2nd Baron Onslow. Leoni was one of the leading Palladian architects working in England, and Clandon is one of only five of his buildings still standing. The house was designed to impress: a red-brick exterior with Portland stone dressings, and interiors decorated by the Italian stuccadors Giuseppe Artari and Giovanni Bagutti, whose ornate plasterwork ceilings were among the finest in the country.
The Marble Hall, a two-storey entrance hall with Carrara marble chimneypieces sculpted by John Michael Rysbrack, was the centrepiece. For nearly three centuries, Clandon served the Onslow family, three of whom served as Speaker of the House of Commons.
The Fire of 2015
On 29 April 2015, a fire broke out in the basement and spread rapidly through the building. Within hours, the roof had collapsed and most of the interiors were destroyed. The Marble Hall survived, along with the Speakers' Parlour and elements of the basement, but the loss was devastating. Much of the National Trust's collection had been inside, though some pieces were recovered from the ruins.
A New Kind of Restoration
Rather than rebuild Clandon as a replica of what stood before, the National Trust launched an international design competition to find a new approach. The winning scheme by Allies and Morrison conserves the post-fire shell while creating new spaces within it – part heritage conservation, part contemporary architecture. It is one of the most ambitious restoration projects the Trust has undertaken, and visitors can witness the work in progress. The surrounding gardens and parkland remain open throughout.
