Waddesdon Manor to shut over Christmas this year

The installation of a new heating system means the popular festive destination will close to the public at the end of November.

The manor and its grounds will be closed from the 29th November 2026 for the first phase of works implementing a new low carbon ground source heat pump system (GSHP), before reopening in March 2027.

The closure means the Manor and its grounds, usually a popular festive destination for Bucks, will be shut over the Winter season, including Christmas. 

What the popular Christmas and Winter light display at Waddesdon usually looks like

It comes after a major investment partnership between the National Trust and Rothschild Foundation to replace the current 25 year old system, which uses seven boilers and three hot water cylinders and burns almost one million kWh of gas a year.

The new GSHP will remove gas from the property entirely, hoping to cut emissions by 124 tonnes a year as well as delivering 500,000kWh of renewable heat annually. An array of 46 vertical boreholes, each 160m deep, will be installed in the Manor's North Lawns and will transfer natural heat from the ground to new heat pumps in the Manor basement - providing heating for comfort and conservation as well as hot water throughout the building. 

By providing a constant, stable temperature in the house - eliminating spikes and dips - whether the house is open or closed to the public, the GSHP is also set to help to preserve Waddesdon Manor’s collection of art, furniture and other important historic objects. The solution was also selected as it minimises any visual impact on the house.

The first phase of the project will begin in August 2026, with the drilling of the boreholes, with internal work then starting in November 2026. The project is scheduled to be completed by April 2027. 

Paul Cook, Project Sponsor and Assistant Director of Operations at the National Trust, says: “This project is a major step forward in our ambition to reduce carbon emissions across our estate. Working with the Rothschild Foundation allows us to safeguard Waddesdon Manor’s heritage while embracing modern, renewable technologies that will protect it for generations to come.”

Pippa Shirley, Project Sponsor and Director of Waddesdon Manor for the Rothschild Foundation added: “We are all greatly looking forward to this bold project to enable the Manor to run more sustainably and preserve its extraordinary collections, working in partnership with the National Trust. It expresses more clearly than any words the Rothschild Foundation and the National Trust’s determination to put conservation, stewardship and the environment at the heart of their long-term strategy. It’s also an opportunity for us to explain and talk about sustainable systems with the public and to show that they are possible to achieve even in a historic listed building. I know that our visitors will be as excited as we are by this statement of faith in all our futures.”

The Manor and grounds will remain open to the public for as much of the project as possible. The North Lawn will be closed while the borehole drilling and groundworks take place. Pre-arrival information will explain changes ahead of a visit, with clear signage, interpretation panels and online updates to engage visitors as the project progresses.

The Manor will be closed though from the 29th of November through the winter season, including Christmas, to allow the works to be completed, ready for re-opening in March and for the celebrations of its 150th anniversary throughout 2027.