Killerton, near Exeter, has been transformed for Christmas with Wind in the Willows and Father Christmas arriving this week to begin the festive celebrations.
The recently uncovered house will be open from Saturday 25 November and will transport visitors into Kenneth Grahame’s mystical world of Toad, Ratty, Badger and Mole as the story of Wind in the Willows is told.
The four friend’s adventure will take place throughout the house, with the rooms in the Georgian mansion transformed into scenes from this much-loved tale of camaraderie and adventure. The magic will continue...
Fi Hailstone is celebrating being named one of three finalists in the ‘Best contribution to a heritage project by a young person’ category of this year’s prestigious Historic England Angel Awards. Fi, 24, has lead on the ‘Bringing Killerton Park to life’ project for the National Trust in Devon. Under Fi’s leadership the project has seen the historic parkland at Killerton transform, with historic monuments no longer at risk and inspiring views opened up. The parkland is much more accessible and volunteers, staff and visitors at Killerton have been enthused by the stories that have...
Orchards on the Killerton estate are bursting with apples this autumn and the National Trust rangers and volunteers have been busy harvesting them in time for their annual cider and apple festival on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 October.
The frost in May caused concern that the orchards might be bare this autumn but the summer rain has meant the orchards are full of apples, including some varieties like the Killerton Sweet, Killerton Sharp and Star of Devon which are unique to this small area.
Andy Bramwell from the National Trust explains why there were concerns, ‘A frost in...
Killerton has reached a fundraising milestone after supporters have helped raise £100,000 to put towards the roof conservation project.
The appeal, which was launched in January this year, asked supporters to help raise funds for vital roof repairs to help prevent damage to the much-loved house and collections. The project is now in its final stages and will see the roof being fully restored and conservation work undertaken on the stonework and parapets alongside the reinstatement of historic chimneys that had been previously removed.
More people than ever can go off the beaten track to explore the countryside as the National Trust launches an all-terrain mobility scooter that can go ‘off road’, opening up the Killerton Estate to people with limited mobility. The Tramper scooter has been provided through the Heritage Ability project, a scheme delivered by charity Living Options Devon and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Heritage Ability project aims to make at least 18 heritage sites across the South West more accessible to disabled and deaf people. The Trampers can go up and down slopes, over bumps and tree...
Archaeologists have uncovered remains of a large building on the National Trust’s Killerton estate.
This significant find supports the theory that these are the remains of Killerton’s lost house; a grand mansion designed by renowned architect James Wyatt, the location of which has been lost for 240 years. Rumours about the lost mansion have persisted for many years, but no-one has been able to find where the building was located. All that remained of the mansion are designs by Wyatt for a building three times bigger than the current Killerton House, and a few surviving letters and...
Killerton Estate in Devon walked away with the top Overall Drinks Award at the National Trust’s annual Fine Farm Produce Awards, presented at BBC Countryfile Live in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. Conygree Farm on the Sherborne Park Estate won the Farming with Nature Award and, in all, 12 National Trust places and products in the South West came away as winners.
Now in their twelfth year, the awards aim to prove that sustainable food isn’t just good for nature, it tastes better too. They celebrate the very best produce from the Trust’s 1,500 tenant farmers and estates – looking...
Children from seven Devon primary schools have created works of art inspired by the wildlife and history of the National Trust’s Killerton estate. These include totem poles, pottery, a carriage selfie-board and a giant bear all of which will be on display for visitors to enjoy over the summer holidays. Devon Artists in Schools Initiative (DAISI) and the National Trust teamed up to work with children from the seven primary schools of Clyst Vale Learning Community. Local professional artists worked with children to produce 3D art exhibited as part of the Killerton’s new outdoor trail - Lost...
A collection of old camera negatives tucked away inside the roof of Killerton House, near Exeter in Devon, have been discovered during a major roof repair project.
Over 30 negatives, possibly hidden by the Acland family in the 1920s to be found years later, have inspired staff to create a time capsule and the National Trust property is calling for people to send in their memories of Killerton to be included.
Photos include what is thought to be family pets, foreign travels and a young Sir Richard Acland in knitted swimwear and a big rubber ring, about to take a dip in what...
Archaeologists working with the National Trust’s Killerton estate believe they may have found the location of the lost Killerton mansion that was started in 1775, but never completed. The lost house was re-discovered almost by accident. Rumours of the mansion, three times bigger than the surviving building at Killerton and more befitting of the Acland family’s wealth and status, have circulated for many years - but no-one has been able to find where the building work was located. All that has remained of the mansion are designs by renowned architect, James Wyatt, a few surviving records...
