Welcome to Clandon Park

Clandon Park is responsible for the stewardship of just under 1000 acres on one site in rural Surrey. 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, we also host 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 ourselves.

 Our approach to sustainable activity therefore extends beyond the straightforward ownership of land and property, and must embrace the activities and enterprise that we run ourselves. 

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 2018/19 and onwards the estate will be reintroducing 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,  will also form the foundation flock for the production of fine wool for spinning and eventually 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, will  not only be launching 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 will be located on the same holdings in Leicestershire and Surrey. The estate plans to build the rare breed flock over the coming decades 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 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 will be very closely monitored for several months  before being inspected again and transported to Clandon Park in Surrey. Again the sheep will be quarantined and monitored there for several weeks before joining a fully accredited rare breed flock at Clandon Park.  Lambing will initially all take place at Gumley until numbers of livestock reach 500 then  lambing will also take place in Surrey at the secondary quarantine unit we plan to establish there. 

Students wishing to study to become Veterinary Surgeons are/will be actively encouraged to apply for work experience at either site. 

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 each. 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. 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. 

The Clandon Park® Trademark has  been and will continue to be extended further to include the branding of lamb, duck, pheasant and other home grown produce and services during 2017/18/19. 

Part of the Clandon Park private collection includes a range of fine handmade jewellery, decorative items of silver, gold, leather and even wood, designed and often 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 gifts 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 Onslow family 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® 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 enterprise.

 Clandon Park Riding Club is a members only club.

Clandon Park Polo Club is a planned new partnered enterprise.

Clandon Park® Saddlery & Riding Wear is a business enterprise.

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 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. 

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 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 2018/19 Events Programme has also been forwarded by email to relevant organisations, members & clients during 2018. 

See Menu, top right, for the full summary of our progress.