Claydon House

About the museum

Claydon House in Middle Claydon, near Buckingham, has been the home of the Verney family since 1620, when Sir Edmund Verney made it the family's principal estate. The Verneys were divided during the English Civil War: Sir Edmund died at the Battle of Edge Hill carrying the royal standard, while his son Sir Ralph went into exile and saw the estates confiscated until the Restoration of 1660. Later generations rebuilt the family's wealth through trade and marriage.

In the 18th century Ralph, 2nd Earl Verney, began an ambitious rebuilding between 1757 and 1771 intended to rival the nearby house at Stowe. The plans included a great domed rotunda and wings with a ballroom and state rooms, and the interiors are among the finest Rococo decoration in England, carved by Luke Lightfoot and finished with plasterwork by Joseph Rose. The earl's speculation ruined him and the project was never completed. His niece and heir, Mary, Baroness Fermanagh, inherited the unfinished house together with large debts and had the rotunda and ballroom wing taken down and the materials sold, which left about a third of the intended house and explains its unusual shape.

The house has a well-known link to Florence Nightingale, and a museum room on the first floor displays objects connected with the Crimean War, along with other curiosities such as a Javanese gamelan. The house, park and gardens are now cared for by the National Trust, and volunteers bring the 18th-century rooms to life with a hands-on approach, including dressing-up.

Highlights

• Rococo carved interiors by Luke Lightfoot, including the North Hall and Chinese Room
• Florence Nightingale connection and museum room with Crimean War objects
• Preserved Javanese gamelan
• Neo-classical Saloon and Staircase Hall with marquetry
• Parkland landscaped in the manner of Capability Brown

Permanent exhibition

• Claydon House and the Verney family – Rococo state rooms, the Saloon and Staircase Hall, and the first-floor museum room with Florence Nightingale and Crimean War objects.

Operated by

National Trust

Admission & discounts

Prices are standard admission without Gift Aid; with Gift Aid they are £13.20 (adult), £6.60 (child), £33.00 (family) and £19.80 (one adult and up to four children). The ticket covers the house and the South Lawn garden. Entry is free for National Trust members. Booking is not required; tickets are sold at reception on arrival. Parking is free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The ground floor is accessible and an accessible route is signposted around the house, but some corridors on the visitor route are narrow and the upper floors are reached only by stairs; a virtual tour of the upper floors is available. A manual wheelchair can be borrowed on a first-come, first-served basis by phoning ahead. An adapted toilet with ramped access is near the front of the house, and a drop-off point is directly outside the house. Accessible bays are provided in the free car park, though most spaces are on grass. Seating is available in selected rooms and in the reading room. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the house.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

Children can try dressing up in the house, and volunteers take a hands-on approach in many rooms. Baby-changing facilities are available. Under 5s are admitted free.

Getting there & parking

The house is signposted from the A413 (Buckingham) and the A41 (Waddesdon crossroads). From junction 9 of the M40 (Bicester) follow the A41, then turn off to Grendon Underwood and Calvert and follow the signs from Calvert crossroads. Allow extra time because of roadworks in the area.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The Phoenix Kitchen cafe is run by the Claydon Estate rather than the National Trust. A second-hand bookshop and reading room are on the visitor route.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Claydon can be hired for private and corporate events through the National Trust.

Plan your visit