Clandon Park - All Visits By Appointment Only.
Rare Breed Sheep on Clandon Park to Double in 2023
Welcome to Clandon Park
Courses & Field Study Days. School, University & Mature Students.
Farming, Forestry, Environment, Fishing, Equestrian & Events
Clandon Park
Clandon Park - A Landscape with Farming & Enterprise at its Roots.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
CLANDON PARK HAS NEVER BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND HAS NEVER BEEN OPEN TO ANY NATIONAL TRUST CLANDON HOUSE VISITORS. Clandon Park is a privately owned Parkland & farm business that provides essential animal care, wildlife management and parkland management. As such, footpath access may be occasionally restricted and led by public health directives and advice.
CLANDON PARK.
Clandon Park is a large parkland estate owned by the Earl of Onslow. It is a working farm consisting of Grade 11 Listed parkland grazing, haymaking land, a nationally important quarantine holding for rare breeds, an equine stud, commercial fishing lakes, commercially managed forests and its associated Clandon Park Garden Centre and Golf Course near the wonderful town of Guildford in Surrey. (This park should not be confused with the NT Clandon Park House with its immediate 7 acres of car park and garden next door)
Clandon Park has been owned by the Onslow family since 1641. It has been the official uninterrupted Seat of the Baronets Onslow and then later the Barons Onslow & the Earls of Onslow. These titles are hereditary and so the Baronet title, Baronies and Earldom passed to Rupert Onslow, the Viscount Cranley (now the 8th Earl of Onslow) in 2011 when his father Michael, the 7th Earl of Onslow very sadly passed away. As his son, Viscount Cranley was also the heir to the Seat, Clandon Park, and, as such, the Estate was also conveyed to him in January 2017.
The current Earl of Onslow inherited many titles from his late father:
8th Earl of Onslow, of Onslow and styled "of Clandon Park in the County of Surrey"
(United Kingdom, let. pat. 19 Jun 1801),
8th Viscount Cranley, of Cranley in the County of Surrey
(United Kingdom, let. pat. 19 Jun 1801),
11th Baron Onslow, of Onslow in the County of Shropshire and of Clandon Park in the County of Surrey
(Great Britain, let. pat. 19 Jun 1716) This title was created approximately 15 years before Lord Onslow built Clandon House.
8th Baron Cranley, of Imbercourt in the County of Surrey
(Great Britain, let. pat. 20 May 1776)
12th Baronet Onslow, styled "of Clandon Park, co. Surrey"
(England, let. pat. 8 May 1674 with precedency from 21 Nov 1660) This title was created approximately 70 years before Lord Onslow built Clandon House.
The 8th Earl, Lord Onslow continues to own and oversee the day to day commercial, agricultural, farming & other enterprises that take place on the parkland, just as the many generations of Onslow's have done for well over three centuries.
Some of the homegrown enterprises that take place on Clandon Park include:
Clandon Park Educational Field Study Days. These activities are open to schools, colleges and universities.
Clandon Park Livery Stables.
Clandon Park Riding Club.
Sheep, cattle or pig breeding and farming with an emphasis on heritage and native rare breeds that are endangered.
Occasional annual or summer grass keep for livestock particularly focusing on breeds that contribute positively in terms of conservation parkland/grassland/forest floor species management.
Extensive commercial hay & haylage production.
Sustainably managed commercial forestry.
Clandon Park Clay Pigeon Shooting Club.
Wildlife Conservation and Management
Charity Support Events
Vehicle parking & storage (particularly horse boxes, pony trailers & agricultural machinery) .
Clandon Park Fisheries.
Clandon Park also supports many of Lord Onslow's private business tenants and leaseholders who manage other Clandon Park enterprises such as:
Clandon Park Garden Centre
Clandon Park Cafeteria
Clandon Golf Course (Leased))
Merrow Cricket Club (ClubTenant)
Guildford Clay Shooting Club (Club Tenant)
Clandon Park Rare Breed Quarantine (Managed)
Clandon Park Whitefaced Woodland Flock (Managed)
Merrow Park and Ride Car Park (Leased)
Clandon Lakes Fishing. (Managed)
Clandon Park Ltd. (Business Tenant)
Lord Onslow's business also offers several agricultural & equestrian services. These include:
Agricultural, equestrian and environmental dispute resolution (Qualified Experienced ADR Practitioner)
Small to medium sized event management.
Film location.
Wedding location (Lakeside and Woodland)
Competition preparation.
Carriage & harness fitting evaluation.
Short & long term animal care & husbandry.
Stable management and animal respite care.
Veterinary referral for rehabilitation, (currently rehab horses accepted at grass only between April and November) with separate management and/or stabling if required, for polo ponies, racehorses and retired horses.
It was planned that between 2008 and 2022 the services and facilities would extend to include:
Dressage and Jumping Coach for Livery owners and visiting riders on their own horses.
24 hour management for livestock quarantine, lambing for the Countess of Onslow's rare breed sheep, foaling and brood mare/stallion management and an *Educational Auditorium.
The quarantine, lambing and foaling business is now thriving and the ne units will be accessible to veterinary students online 24 hrs a day or for veterinary student groups on organised visits during normal working hours from a variety of educational organisations who are registered on our 2020/21 Clandon Park Education Programme. (The Auditorium is subject to Guildford Borough Council Planning Authority approval and Clandon Park terms and conditions)
The Clandon Park Staff currently work closely with several highly skilled veterinary practices.
Although it will take some time to develop, it is our aim to one day fully support a veterinary practice with a specialist outreach veterinary teaching unit to be located at Clandon Park that will be linked with a local university
Clandon Park - Environment & Social Responsibility
As the legal owner of Clandon Park, Lord Onslow takes the care and stewardship of approximately 1000 acres on one site in rural Surrey very seriously. With this comes great responsibility to protect, maintain and enhance the character, setting and landscape for the enjoyment of future generations, without compromising their needs.
Perhaps uniquely for an Estate of traditional origin, in addition to the core Estate activities of farming, fishery, equine, forestry and associated services, Lord Onslow hosts the annual Clandon Park Car Rally & Show, Clandon Park Run, Clandon Park Garden Centre Special Events, Clandon Golf Course Events, Clandon Park Livery Stables Open Events, Clandon Park Clay Pigeon Shooting days, Clandon Park Fishing Events, Clandon Park Riding Club Events, Clandon Park Carriage Driving and several important internal Clandon Park Education Programme events.
The Onslow family’s approach to sustainable activity therefore extends beyond the straightforward ownership of land and property, and embraces the activities and enterprise that they run themselves.
As we build our resilience to climate change and the ever encroaching built environment, the Estate must constantly innovate and remain sustainable. In addition to new enterprise, Clandon Park occasionally reintroduces enterprise initiatives that have proved to be successful on the Estate in the past.
In the 18th Century, the then Lord Onslow apparently became very frustrated that the deer repeatedly escaped from their purpose built enclosure near Clandon House. Part of the existing holding had been emparked for deer in the 16th Century but was then disparked until the Onslow Family applied to have a small acreage of land emparked yet again for deer in the 17th Century. Stories relate that the deer were in fact kept to breed to produce venison for the table (certainly not simply decorative for the pleasure grounds) Eventually the 'captive' herd of deer (history relates that there were originally 20) disappeared entirely. Lord Onslow who also kept cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, geese and other farm animals on the Estate, appears to have become exasperated by this and requested that a large flock of Penistone sheep should be driven from an Estate in North Shropshire down to Surrey so that they could be introduced to Clandon Park & the surrounding farm.
The reason for choosing this particular type of sheep is unclear. They do produce excellent fine fleece for spinning (an industry that was thriving in Guildford at the time) and they do produce the most excellent lamb for the table, however, they also just happen to be one of the largest sheep breeds in the world and both rams and ewes display large and beautiful horn patterns.
These sheep, now known as the rare breed "Whitefaced Woodland", are renown for their ability to successfully graze & improve the biodiversity of certain woodland, scrubland and areas that have infestation of woody weeds. They are excellent at preventing what is known as 'succession' (see our Conservation Management Plan for further information)
In 2018 the estate reintroduced Penistone Sheep to graze the North of the Estate, an important reason for this is for the purpose of Conservation Grazing. However, these Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST) and Whitefaced Woodland Sheep Society (WWSS) registered sheep with their "Clandon Park" registered flock name, have also formed the foundation flock for the production of fine wool for spinning and for "Clandon Park Celebratory Lamb" for the table. The lamb will be available through local retailers.
In 2019 the Countess of Onslow, a strong supporter of the RBST, WWSS and of the Killowen Stud in Leicestershire, not only launched the Clandon Park Stud on Clandon Park, but many of the broodmares and foals will graze alongside the new Clandon Park Whiteface Woodland sheep that are now located on the same holdings in Leicestershire and Surrey. The estate is building the rare breed flock up to 1,500 purebred breeding ewes. The highest standard of animal welfare and biosecurity that are being followed for this flock may prove to become a blueprint for similar projects involving commercial sheep farming of hardy native rare breeds in the future in the U.K. We believe, with ever evident climate change, these amazingly hardy breeds, who can tolerate drought stricken pasture in summer and extremes of cold and very wet ground in winter, are incredibly important to the genetic diversity that should be available to the commercial flocks of tomorrow.
The Clandon Park flock's primary quarantine unit is already up and running for this important project and is based at a Clandon Park outreach holding near the beautiful village of Gumley. This site is close to the historic market town of Market Harborough in Leicestershire.
Once each Whitefaced Woodland sheep has passed through inspection, veterinary assessment and stringent extended quarantine protocols, they are very closely monitored for several months before being inspected again and transported to Clandon Park in Surrey. Again the sheep are quarantined and monitored there for several weeks before joining a fully accredited rare breed flock at Clandon Park. Lambing initially all took place at Gumley however now lambing is also taking place in Surrey currently outdoors on the park but as we expand the numbers beyond 300 up to 900 of our gorgeous girls we will have to lamb indoors within a secondary quarantine unit we plan to establish there.
Students wishing to study to become Veterinary Surgeons are now actively encouraged to apply for work experience at either site.
Clandon Park - Continuing the Marriage of Agriculture, Enterprise and Conservation for the Future
In 2016 & 2017 the Earl of Onslow's family, the Clandon park agricultural employees, equestrian employees, clients, customers, suppliers, Clandon Park Club members, Clandon Park Ltd, estate cottage tenants, Clandon Park private event members, forresters , environmental advisors, several local residents and the new volunteer Park & Woodland Rangers, took part in shaping Clandon Park's plans for the future.
In May 2017 the Clandon Park Conservation Management Plan was published in draft & presented internally for staff to provide their feedback. In June 2017 Clandon Park consulted with its various stakeholders prior to launching the next 15 year Clandon Park Conservation Management Plan (CPCMP): ‘Clandon Park, Continuing the Marriage of Agriculture, Enterprise and Conservation for the Future’ in draft on 10th July 2017. The new approved CMP dovetails well with the existing CMP and was published for Clandon Park staff on September 9th 2017.
The CPCMP will be delivered in three phases of five years the first of which will be completed in 2022. It is not envisaged that there will be a requirement for grant assistance to complete the three phases as the Estate funds its own conservation projects.
Clandon Park has decided that its main priorities will be to maintain and continue to improve it's financial & environmental sustainability & to further increase its existing focus on education, sustainability and the Clandon Park environment. This will be facilitated through the established successful enterprises & also through the development of new business and innovation. In turn, through our continued success, this enables the Clandon Park restoration team to focus on the conservation of its private art & document collection, Grade 11 Listed agricultural Parkland, two Listed farm buildings, arboricultural, ecological & general environmental assets, its Listed residential property portfolio & a Listed Monument.
Clandon Park has formed a body of highly skilled specialists whose aims are to assist the estate in maintaining its heritage to a high standard for agricultural, business and educational use & for the enjoyment by future generations. The Earl of Onslow has appointed one of the worlds most respected experts on Capability Brown to advise on the landscaping of certain parts of the Estate. The full Clandon Park history and the Clandon Park restoration and conservation project is being fully documented and this important work is likely to be published upon completion.
Clandon Park was emparked under Royal Warrant by the current Earls ancestors in the 1600’s. Clandon Park® Trademark in its unregistered and registered form has been and will continue to be actively and vigourously protected by the Onslow family.
Part of the Clandon Park private collection includes a range of fine Clandon Park Surveys and documents, handmade jewellery, decorative items of silver, gold, leather and even wood, designed and often created, commissioned or handmade by a member of the Onslow family over the centuries. These have never been on public display. These are being reproduced to create a range of beautiful items that will be available for purchase as gifts. The current Lord Onslow is a talented designer and, like his forefathers before him he designs tableware, jewellery and extraordinarily beautiful items often made from raw materials found or produced on Clandon Park or the wider agricultural holding. These are inspired by the strong historic links between Clandon Park, Guildford and the Onslow family. We live in a "branded" world where the the Onslow family heritage of Clandon Park and its products and services may be under threat of being copied so we will be registering our trademark further to protect the Clandon Park designs and collections.
The Parkland at Clandon Park is home to a number of existing brands and enterprises:
Clandon Park Limited is a UK Limited company which manages the branding of all Clandon Park® 'home grown' goods & services.
Clandon Park Property Ltd is a property management company.
Clandon Park® Registered Trademark is used for all products that are grown, designed or made on Clandon Park & for Clandon Park® services.
Clandon Park Livery Stables offers grass or stabled livery.
Clandon Park Garden Centre offers a wide range of plants and gifts.
Clandon Park Reptile centre is a specialist in its field.
Clandon Park® Meadow Hay is created from our beautiful meadows.
*Clandon Park® Silver & Gifts are all designed by a member of the Onslow family.
Clandon Park Carriage Driving is a private team.
Clandon Park Fishing is part of the Clandon Park Fishing Lakes and Fisheries enterprises.
Clandon Park Riding Club is a members only club. From October 2019 this exclusive club will be open to a further 50 external members. Please send all enquires to the CPRC Secretary:
CPRC Secretary,
Clandon Park Riding Club,
Clandon Park,
West Clandon,
Guildford,
Surrey.
GU47RQ
Clandon Park Education Centre ™ is the centre for courses, lectures, talks, workshops and field study days on Clandon Park:
CPEC Team,
Clandon Park Education Centre,
Clandon Park,
West Clandon,
Guildford,
Surrey.
GU47RQ
Clandon Park® Saddlery & Riding Wear is a business enterprise in the making.
Clandon Park® Forestry Products are products made from our own timber that has been harvested from our sustainably managed forest.
The new and reintroduced Clandon Park enterprises & products, which are also branded are as follows:
Clandon Park Conservation Grazing Management is a new enterprise and a small number of the Clandon Park flock may even be made available for local conservation grazing projects around Leicestershire, Guildford and the wider regions if there is occasional need.
Clandon Park Whitefaced Woodland Sheep is our flock name which has been registered with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Clandon Park® Celebratory Lamb™ Is the retail brand for our London retailer.
Clandon Park® Farm Shop™ is the retail brand for all goods that we create for a concession.
Clandon Park Stud® is the registered name of the stud & it is the prefix for all horses born on Clandon Park.
Clandon Park Piggies® is the brand we hope to use for our small rare breed pig breeding business in partnership with a specialist in his field who has dedicated his life to saving a very British breed (watch this space for news this year)
We are also considering further opportunities and we are in negotiation with a Biomass processor who wishes to Licence our brand.
The Clandon Park® & Clandon Park™ brand Manager will now be focusing on its online and offline business. This will be developed through this and allied websites and will also be marketed through retail business, within the U.K., Europe and in the US.
Further information about the Clandon Park® and Clandon Park™ brand & information about our Clandon Park Events will, from this autumn, only be published on this website or its official suppliers website. This will replace the monthly notification leaflets. The 2022 Events Programme has also been forwarded by email to relevant organisations, members & clients during September 2021.
See Menu, top right, for the full summary of our progress.