Clandon Park went up in flames last night, and firefighting efforts continue this morning. The 18th century mansion is owned by the National Trust, and was packed with irreplaceable artifacts
A Palladian mansion in the Surrey Hills with beautiful landscaped gardens and a host of priceless historical and cultural artifacts ranging from Mortlake tapestries to a Maori meeting house, Clandon Park is a popular venue for weddings. Unfortunately, any such plans were placed in jeopardy when the historic house was consumed by fire yesterday.
Smoke was spotted billowing from the mansion around 5pm. Firefighting efforts began immediately - and continue today. The blaze itself is believed to have begun in the basement, possibly due to an electrical fault, though no formal investigation has yet been undertaken.
National Trust employees are on site with firefighters, desperate to recover what they can from the flames. Director Helen Ghosh said she was heartbroken by "the terrible damage to this wonderful mansion, which means so much to so many people".
The most important thing, she said, was that no-one was hurt, but it was still a "devastating personal blow to all our devoted staff and volunteers".
Firefighting efforts continue today.
Anyone who has booked the site should be contacted by Clandon Park staff soon
Alternatively, you can contact them directly through 01483 222 502
