Chartwell

From purchasing and preserving the most cherished objects from Churchill’s life to unearthing the lost stories from those that worked most closely with him, discover how even a small donation can help to secure the legacy of the man behind the legend for future generations.

As well as acquiring Churchill's personal belongings, thanks to the continued funds raised by the appeal we hope to open new rooms of the house and tell some of the most important stories of Churchill and Chartwell in new interactive ways.

We want to raise £7.1 million to purchase over 1,000 objects in our collection and reinvigorate Churchill's legacy at Chartwell. Find out our latest news on the appeal and discover new ways for you to get involved.

We're currently in the middle of a long-term project to restore a meadow down in the apple orchard and in front of the studio at Chartwell, encouraging wildflowers and nature back to our gardens.

The garden team at Chartwell recently began work to restore the wide views over Kent that inspired Churchill to buy Chartwell back to the front of the house. With the new plants now in place, the hard work is already paying off.

Thanks to your support (and by drinking lots of coffee!) we’ve been able to restore the greenhouses at Chartwell and get them working more efficiently – with better sustainability – than ever.

Our story at Chartwell begins in 1946/7 whilst Winston Churchill and his family were still in residence. Discover how we helped to preserve a significant piece of British history.

From rags to riches, this is the story of a cat that got the National Trust cream, and the Churchill request that there should always be a marmalade cat at Chartwell.

The connection between Chartwell and butterflies is a long one, starting with Sir Winston Churchill’s love of the small creatures and one we still continue here today.

Chartwell is a great place to find a wide range of wildlife with different habitats for different animals, insects and birds. Check out our list to discover some of these species living here today.

Stroll around the gardens at Chartwell and you may spot an unusual sight on our lakes. Black swans, originally native to Australia, have called this hillside haven home since 1927, once looked after by Churchill and now by the National Trust.

Katherine Carter, the Project Curator for Chartwell, shares her personal five must-see items on permanent display in the 'History of Winston Churchill in 50 Objects' exhibition.

On December 10 1953 Lady Clementine Churchill received the Nobel Prize for Literature on behalf of her husband. This significant literary award was presented to Winston not just for his writing, but for his commanding speeches which resonated across the world.