Waddesdon Manor Blog » Waddesdon Team

Behind the scenes in the Collection

Waddesdon Team — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:49:12 +0000

March is always a busy time in the collection department – the Manor reopens for the main season on 31 March. It’s at this time of year that the house is woken from its winter slumbers, with covers removed from furniture inside and from sculpture outside. Every area of the house is busy, with the Stewards and Housekeeping staff re-instating the rooms and unpacking small objects and porcelain, while the Curators install the temporary exhibitions for this year.

Each type of object requires special display conditions requiring a lot of forward planning and creativity. For example, our book curator has been adapting a drawing exhibition space with new shelves and stands, as well as a handling collection and DVD, to show off some of the wonderful 18th-century books from the Morning Room that are normally difficult to see. A little later in the season, we are also working on an exhibition of design by the Brazilian brothers Humberto and Fernando Campana, featuring wonderfully exotic, colourful chandeliers – a nice counterpoint to the historic chandeliers in the collection.

Behind the scenes, collection staff have also been busy working towards the launch of the new website for Waddesdon Manor, which will also provide a platform for exploring the collection on-line. At the moment, we have about 700 trade cards and other prints up on the site, but we are preparing a selection of about 50 highlights from across the collection – furniture, porcelain, paintings, textiles, sculptures and books – to give a sense of the breadth of the collection and a taster of what can be seen here.

Waddesdon Manor – A National Trust property

Waddesdon Team — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:29:54 +0000

Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild built Waddesdon Manor between 1874 to 1889. He used Waddesdon to entertain his guests and display his vast 18th-century French decorative art collection. Typical were the Savonnerie carpets and Sèvres porcelain which rank, in relevance and importance with those kept in the Louvre in Paris and the Royal and Wallace Collections in London. Baron Ferdinand also collected portraits by Gainsborough and Reynolds, and his art treasures included the 17th century works by Dutch and Flemish Masters.

Waddesdon Manor has one of the most beautiful gardens in Britain famous for its Parterre, seasonal displays, shady walks and views. At its heart lies the Aviary stocked with species that were once part of Baron Ferdinand’s collection. The Wine Cellars, modelled on the private cellars at Château Lafite-Rothschild contain thousands of bottles of wine which date back to 1868.

Visitors to Waddesdon Manor:

Visitors to Waddesdon require ‘timed tickets’ to enter the Manor. During August admission for children is free, and if you are a visitor to the house you must also have a ticket for the gardens.

Christmas Time at Waddesdon Manor

Waddesdon Team — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:31:08 +0000

If you are looking for a perfect venue for a Christmas Party with a difference, nothing can match the atmosphere of Waddesdon Manor.

This imposing French style chateau, built in the 1870’s by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, has won numerous awards including:

Best National Trust Property 1997
Excellence in England Silver Award 2002
Museum and Heritage Award for Excellence 2003
Enjoy England Silver Award Winner of Excellence 2006
Tourism ExSEllence Awards 2007

Waddesdon Manor offers an unrivalled experience for a Christmas celebration. We welcome advanced reservations for Christmas Parties at lunchtime or in the evenings. Our Christmas menus are based on historical recipes once served in the manor.

The Events Team can arrange bespoke events including an exclusive access tour of The Rothschild Collection, Wine tastingsin the Rothschild Cellars with a Master of Wine as well as unique Christmas gifts including our classing Rothschild wines.

For information or to book a party

Please phone the Events Team on 01296 653243/241/216 (Monday -Friday)

Alternatively email: events.waddesdon@nationaltrust.org.uk

Waddesdon Weddings, featured in OK magazine!

Waddesdon Team — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:30:39 +0000

The Dairy at Weddings at Waddesdon, was recently featured in celebrity magazine OK!

Set in a tranquil waterside setting, The Dairy offers a haven of peaceful tranquility.

More about Weddings at Waddesdon

Our wedding team will guide you through every aspect of planning your big day. Accomplished chefs and experienced staff work together to make your wedding day truly exceptional.

The maximum seating capacity that The Dairy can accommodate for a civil ceremony and wedding breakfast is 110. An additional 50 evening guests can be invited to join you for dancing and evening entertainment.

The West Hall is the largest room at The Dairy and has a tall vaulted ceiling and two huge open fireplaces with glass doors opening directly on to the terrace.

Dining – maximum of 110 on round tables of 10
Ceremony – maximum of 110

The Wintergarden is adjacent to the West Hall. This classical conservatory-style room is the perfect room for wedding ceremonies and has beautiful views across the private lakes. It is predominantly made of glass with exterior wooden slatted blinds offering shade from the sun. The Wintergarden has double doors leading directly on to the Terrace and its stone floors make it an ideal space for dancing during your evening reception.

Dining – maximum of 60 people on round tables of 10
Ceremony – maximum of 110.

The Pavilions and Lakeside Terrace are on the west side of The Dairy. This long and wide terrace overlooks the lake, which is home to an extensive collection of waterfowl. There are two pavilions projecting out into the lake, providing the perfect setting for summer drinks receptions.

Drinks party – 160
Ceremony – maximum 60.

The Dieppe Room is used by the Registrar prior to civil ceremonies.

Queens Entrance and Reception offers a private entrance for brides to use on arrival.

The Buttery is located adjacent to The Dairy and can be used for mobile crèches or as a changing facility.

Civil Ceremonies

The Dairy is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies in the West Hall, the Wintergarden and outside under the cover of the lakeside Pavilion.

Marquees

Marquees over the central courtyard are ideal for couples wanting a wedding reception for between 110 and 200 guests, subject to availability of dates. Please enquire for rates and availability.

For more information about our wedding services, please call our wedding coordinator on 01296 653216 or via email, please note that all viewings are strictly by appointment.

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The Dairy at Waddesdon featured in Wedding Magazine

Waddesdon Team — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:11:35 +0000

The Dairy at Waddesdon Manor was recently featured in the famous Wedding Magazine.

It was described as the perfect wedding venue, especially the pagoda overlooking the lake.

If you would like to book an appointment to see The Dairy, please call one of our wedding corodinators on 01296 653216.

Details about MAD (Music, Art, Drama & Dance)

Waddesdon Team — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:03:38 +0000

We’ve been asked about more information about when the event is happening, what’s going on and and how to get here, so hopefully the details below will help to answer some of those questions.

There’s also a lot more information on the MAD about Waddesdon website which gives details of the performances on the three stages at the event on the weekend of 27th and 28th June.

So what is going on?
The Saturday programme begins at 10.30am with the gardens opening as normal at 10.00am – you can find a run of the current Saturday programme here

Likewise the Sunday programme runs again from 10.00 in the morning through until 5pm and there is a full overview of what’s happening on Sunday here.

In addition there are workshops (singing and dancing for the kids and adults alike) and lots of other fun things to do which are outlined here.

Finally there is a wonderful Fundraising Concert which is run alongside the MAD about Waddesdon event featuring “A Night with the King and Queen”, two wonderful tribute acts of Elvis and Queen. This a separately charged event and full details can be found here.

Admission and Directions (Full Details here)

During the MAD weekend (27th / 28th June) the normal House and Gardens admission prices apply which are:

Gardens only
Adults: £7.00, Child (5-16inc): £3.50, Family (2ad & 2ch): £17.50, NT members: FREE, Under 5’s: FREE

House & Garden
Adults: £15.00, Child (5-16inc): £11.00, NT Members: FREE

If you want to book in advance please call 01296 653226, Monday to Friday, 10.00-4.00.

Full Directions can be found here

Much more at MAD this year

Waddesdon Team — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:50:05 +0000

We are delighted that this year there is a large programme of other activities for you and your family to take part in during your visit to Waddesdon, over and above all the acts on the three stages.

We have workshops from specialised Musical Theatre with Craig Revel-Horwood to Urban Strides and an interactive Circus Skills Workshop with Circus Whiz, just to name a few!

For the creative ones amongst you, make sure you pay a visit to the ‘Children’s Zone’ for lots of things to make and take home or go and create some giant Umbul Umbul flags with local artist Stu McLellan and help to make these amazing flags for display at Waddesdon. If you want to get away from the mayhem of the North Front, why not visit the Art Zone in the Power House or the Angus Fairhurst Exhibition in the new art gallery at the Stables and don’t forget the House is open as normal. Tickets available from the ticket office.

Why not stay on for the concert on the evening of Saturday 27th? “Music at the Manor – A night with The King and Queen” features tribute acts for Elvis Presley and Queen, for a royally entertaining evening. Tickets still available from the Ticket Office on the North Front.

All is all, there’s a huge amount to do and see so come along and find out just how much fun it is!

Helping to spread the word!

Waddesdon Team — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:43:17 +0000

MAD about Waddesdon might be a not for profit event, but we still work to ensure that we get as many people attending as possible and to come along and enjoy all of the incredible work that is put in by the groups to prepare for their performances on the day.

We are also always happy for people to help support this in whatever way that they can and, if you run a website, forum or other online site, you can also help to spread the word by adding a small logo and link back to the MAD about Waddesdon pages to let your readers know about the event.

To make this as easy as possible, you can find a series of logos and code on the Logos page – just paste the code onto your site if you would like to help spread the word about the event!

Thanks in advance!

MAD about Waddesdon

Waddesdon Team — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:56:03 +0000

: MAD 2007 stage

MAD About Waddesdon is a celebration of the visual and performing arts in Buckinghamshire. An opportunity to experience the talent, energy and creativity at the heart of our schools and community. The weekend is a spectacle of music, dance, drama, poetry, story telling, film, photography and much more, performed and presented at every level throughout the gardens at Waddesdon. Everyone is invited to enjoy, watch, listen, participate, and celebrate what will truly be Art in Action in our community. There are performances and workshops over the two days with plenty for all the family to enjoy.

MAD was conceived in 2005, out of our ambition to create a closer working relationship with our local, multicultural, community and to identify ways that Waddesdon could be used more effectively as a resource for them. We had already begun to transform the Stables at the Manor to provide a lively performance and education based space designed around families and children and this was very much the next step. In many ways, MAD was ahead of its time as it closely mirrors the values and objectives set out in the Government’s “Find your Talent” and “Creative Partnerships” schemes, and the schools festival “Shine”. These initiatives championed by DCMS and DCSF give young people the chance to experience high quality arts and culture, creating opportunities for schools to work with creative professionals such as artists, writers and actors.

Our discussions with schools, education officers and our local council back in 2005 and the three subsequent MAD festivals in 2006, 2007 & 2008 have proved how much energy there is out there for arts and performance projects and the importance of sharing these across the community. Waddesdon has provided a perfect platform to bring these projects together for a wider audience. Last year 15,000 people came to watch more than 3,000 children take part in performances, workshops, projects and a myriad of other activities over the weekend.

This is a not for profit event. Waddesdon provides the site, and the management and operations team for free and has to find the money from ticket sales, fundraising events and sponsorship to cover the £100,000 cost of staging the event. Partnerships, therefore, have been key to the success of the festival, and we have been immensely grateful for the support of The English National Ballet, Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Art, BCUC and many other societies, groups and individuals who have run workshops and activities making it an unforgettable experience for those who take part. African and Japanese drumming, samba workshops, photography competitions, collaborative art projects, conducting workshops, urban dance, ballet, digital art and musical and drama performances of all kinds – there is something for all ages and interests.