Dear Editor,

Those of us who have worked in historic houses owned by local authorities watched in horror as another National Trust house went up in flames in 2015. We thought – and hoped – that after the fire at Uppark in 1989 such events would be a thing of the past, even though the swift action taken by the Trust to restore the house was much admired, as were the results.

Clandon appears to be a different story. The present proposal to display the house as a ruin with a new roof at least has the merit of not inserting a large modern staircase in a place where there never was one before, as per the Trust’s original proposal. It has however, three disquieting aspects.

It is claimed that the new roof will be made accessible to visitors. How can this be done without further disfiguring the building? At the very least two metal staircases of the fire-escape variety (one up, one down) will have to provided.

Secondly, it is proposed to conserve and display the items which were salvaged from the fire within the ruins of the building. How can this be done effectively and in a meaningful way? Rooms with doors provide an element of security, but in a cavernous space like the one proposed it would be necessary to install unsympathetic, high security showcases which are a visual intrusion and extremely expensive. Objects lose much of their meaning once taken out of their original context and in the past it has been an important part of the Trust’s mission to show complete period interiors.

Finally, there is the financial aspect of the case. It is reported that the Trust has been paid out by its insurers and is now in a position to proceed with the work but that the new scheme will need additional funding from its reserves. How so? There was no mention of this with the old scheme. Members are entitled to a detailed breakdown of costs and the present secrecy about money does nothing to inspire confidence.

Yours sincerely,

Adam White
Curator, Lotherton Hall, Leeds Museums and Galleries 1994–2015; Life Member of the National Trust