History at Clandon Park

The first record of the Onslow family appears in the 12th century. Eventually Roger Onslow moved to London to further the family wool business. Years later his grandson, another Richard, purchased Clandon Park.

The Onslow family have lived at Clandon Park since 1641. Following their move to Surrey, the family's political fortunes began to grow. So did the house and the huge estate that they built around them.

Clandon suffered great neglect during the time of the 3rd Earl of Onslow. Then followed a restoration to its glorious past by the 4th Earl, William Hiller Onslow. All was well at Clandon until 1914, when war came to Britain.

Lady Gwendolen Onslow was born and spent her early life at Clandon Park. She married into the famous Guinness family, later becoming Countess of Iveagh and one of the first female MPs in 1927. Discover more about her remarkable history and how she saved Clandon Park, leaving it to the National Trust in 1956.

The Onslow family are unique in having provided three speakers for the House of Commons over the centuries. Before the recent fire they were celebrated in the Speakers' Parlour. Miraculously much of this room survived the fire relatively intact.

We’re continuing to shape our ambitions and plans for Clandon Park following the 2015 fire. A fundamental part of this considers how we respond to the long-term legacy of slavery and colonialism presented by the surviving house, gardens and collections which are inextricably connected to the UK’s colonies and the trading of enslaved people.

Clandon Park, along with a number of other places and collections in our care, has direct links to colonialism. Learn more about what we are doing to address the histories of slavery and colonialism at our places.

When Britain entered the First World War the Onslow family were keen to play their part in the war effort. An application was submitted to the War Office and Clandon was accepted as an Auxiliary Military Hospital.

Norah Ellender and James Creech met and fell in love during the First World War at Clandon Park Hospital. She was a nurse and he was a patient. Discover more about this remarkable story and its relationship to Clandon's history.

During the First World War Clandon Park was used as a military hospital. Find out about the cost of war, both to the hospital itself and the surrounding village of West Clandon.

Find out more about Hinemihi's roots as the hub of a thriving Māori community on New Zealand's North Island, and the tragic events that left her abandoned there.

Hinemihi is the only Maori meeting house in the UK. How did she find herself on the other side of the world, in the gardens of Clandon Park in a quiet Surrey village?

Hinemihi is an extremely rare Māori meeting house. She's one of only four that exist outside New Zealand and the only one to be located outdoors. She’s stood in the grounds of Clandon Park for almost 130 years. To ensure her continued survival a programme of conservation work is taking place.