Our Royal appointment

It’s not everyday that you welcome royalty into your workplace or your home and this week saw the National Trust and Lord Sackville-West welcome a very special visit from HRH Prince Charles the President of the National Trust.

Michael puts the finishing touches to the grass in Green Court

So much preparation went into this superb day we wanted to share some of the goings on with you all. Some time ago a “VIP – without a name!” was noted as a potential visitor and the usual Premises workload  was cancelled.

The weeding wonders do their work in the Outer Wicket
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Without knowing who or why, we started work to prepare the site for a “very special visit”. Signs were cleaned, litter picked, paths weeded, and roadways swept and swept and swept…

Steven, Pauline and Brian ensure a clean sweep
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Prince Charles was welcomed by our Property Manager and escorted on his tour.
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In the days before the visit Knole was shining and we were able to step back and admire all our work.

As the day dawned final touches were made and we all worked together to ensure nothing was out-of-place. HRH arrived by helicopter much to the bewilderment of park visitors who were not expecting to be part of Knoles’ history.

 

The Premises team escorted HRH to Outer Wicket where the party was met by our Property Manager for a private tour.

 

Many of the property team were on hand to discuss elements of Knole and the future conservation project.

Chris, Marisha, Rebecca and Anne admire the landing gear.
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After a tour and a drinks reception in the Retainers Gallery, including a rather specially prepared cup of tea fit for a King and prepared by me! (long time claim to fame!)

Preparations for the drinks reception in the Retainers Gallery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The time came and HRH was moving on to another engagement in London – a 12 minute flight!.  It was a super day and we were so privileged to have the Prince take time to share Knole with us for a few hours.

The Prince wanders through Queens Court
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It was smiles all around as the helicopter almost swept us off our feet as it soared into the sky above us all…

Ready for take-off!
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Water, water everywhere!

This week saw the team tackle a problem that fortunately we don’t face very often.

One of our residents reported hearing constant running water through the water pipes.  The noise was most prominent in the boiler room so our heating engineers came round to check it out but found no issue.

This meant going on an extensive search for the source of the running water.  Not easy in our building where pipes run this way and that.  After two hours of checking in cellars and in loft spaces we were still none the wiser as to the source.

It wasn’t until we walked out into one of the seven courtyards that Steven, our Premise Assistant, noticed that the ground was a little wet and spongy.

Steven got to work with a shovel, fortunately the ground here is mainly sand and loose rock, not that it made it any easier digging down the couple of feet to the pipe.  Our plumbers swiftly arrived supplying a pump to drain the ever filling hole as we were not able to totally isolate the water.

The old steel pipe had split underneath which was a blessing as it meant the water was being forced into the hole and not all over Steven and James as they dug down below it.

It was not going to be possible to remove the damaged area and replace the pipe.  We had to use an alternative solution.  We temporarily taped up the hole until our plumbers arrived with a very natty little clamp.  This consisted of a hinged galvanised tube lined with rubber and a nut and bolt to tighten.

It simply wrapped around the damaged part of the pipe and tightened up until secure – it worked a treat.  Water leak stopped!

Then came the laborious task of refilling the large hole the lads had created.  We were checking when digging for any gold coins but to no avail.

However we did find some bits of clay tobacco pipes & some old bone (we are assured they’re not human!),  probably lamb bones given to the dogs of the time.  Well, the hole was outside the old kitchen and servants quarters.

Thanks to Steven and everyone involved we managed to locate, dig, repair, refill and make good in around five hours.

Jo – Premises and Events Assistant

New year new broom

Christmas has left the building!

Its been a while since our last update and it has been a very busy period here at Knole. After all the festivities we had all the clearing up and relocating of the equipment used for these events. The 21ft tree was removed from the Great Hall first and we cleared away the remains of Christmas with a ho! ho! ho! no not more pine needles!

I dont suppose many people used the scaffolding to remove the decorations on their tree this year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The winter season has begun with lots of cleaning and decorating for the new open season, but most of all leaf clearing.. we are so lucky to have such a dedicated team of volunteers that are prepared to work in all weathers to clear the park paths and roads so that we look our best for our visitors. Opening the Brewhouse Tearooms for the first time at weekends through January and February  has had a huge impact on the work of the team too, with many more visitors having access to the park and Brewhouse facilities – the pressure has certainly been on.

High winds at the beginning of January meant that remedial action needed to be taken to cut back overgrown Ivy from the exterior walls of the Brewhouse yard.

The finished product

The Ivy was due for a trim but nature played its part and swift action was required to remove a huge Ivy overhang that had become detached from the wall. The scaffolding, loppers and secateurs came out and the beautiful Kentish ragstone wall emerged once more from its leafy green jacket.

 

 

In the coming weeks we will turn our thoughts to car park planning and soft landscaping, signage for the new season and scheduled electrical testing. The weather however, may have different plans for us…

 

Steven begins by planning where the new posts will sit in the ground near the Brewhouse. This will protect the grass from wear during the summer months.

New posts lining up nicely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to the team for their help and dedication, we could not do it without you. Pauline

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Just a very short blog to say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I wish you a joyful and peaceful 2012.

The summer of love – a volunteers story

After 25 years in fashion retail I was lucky enough this year to secure a 6 month career break from my current job.  So as Easter rolled round my thoughts turned to how I was going to utilise my extended time off.

For many years I wanted to get involved in some sort of volunteering but working long hours and travelling for work meant that weekends were precious and spare time scarce.

I wanted to work outside, meet new people, learn new skills and have some fun.  I turned to the one charity I regularly visit and I have been a member of since a child – the National Trust.

A visit to the website bought up a large and varied amount of volunteer vacancies in the area  but one position particularly caught my eye – Premises Volunteer at Knole.

The advert intrigued me as there was such a variety of tasks involved and the opportunity to see parts of the property the public will never see.  A short interview later and I was joining the premises team at Knole for the summer.

My first day and I was put to work.  An event the following day meant an extra special clean up so I found myself litter picking, sweeping and, my favourite, – weeding!.  Despite re-discovering every muscle in my body the next day, I offered to volunteer 3 days a week (and a few extra here and there!).

It certainly hasn’t disappointed, no two days have been the same and never have I done such a variety of tasks.  Over the last 6 months I’ve weeded, swept, open and closed the property, set up events, taken down events, pulled ragwort, litter picked, painted, weeded a bit more, lit fires, made signs, escorted contractors, cleared ivy, raked leaves, redesigned charts, fixed multiple items, weeded some more, set-up spreadsheets, tidied rooms , tested the water,  parked cars, logged and mapped the 900 smoke detectors and you guessed it, weeded! and much more besides…. (Just don’t let me near the electrics!!)  And I have LOVED every minute.

Being a volunteer it has given me access to the park out of hours and allowed me to pursue my photographic hobby.  I have taken some 1500 photos this summer at all times of the day.  Knole is beautiful in the dawn and stunning at dusk and just such a special place to visit and work.

I have had the privilege to work with a great bunch of people; yes I’ve made new friends, certainly learnt new things and covered almost every inch of the house and grounds.  I’ve been hot and dusty and cold and soaked but none of that matters  when you get home satisfied that you’ve  made a little bit of difference and that everyone from staff to visitors appreciate your efforts.

When my 6 months was up I had completed over 500 hours and walked 356 miles around the site.  That’s the equivalent of walking from Knole to Edinburgh.  Will I miss it? – OH YES, I already am, so much so that I have continued to volunteer on the weekends just to get my fix.

So if anyone has ever thought of volunteering for Knole or any other property I say DO IT! – It has really changed my outlook on life and made my summer off something very special that I will never forget.

Jo – Premises Volunteer

The pictures shown are a tiny selection of Jo’s favorite images of the summer, taken by her.

From volunteer to member of staff

Steven

My name is Steven, I became a volunteer at Knole just over two years ago. I had been made redundant from my old  job as a ground-worker, due to the economic climate. I was struggling to find another job, going mad with boredom, so I decided to look for some voluntary work. I wanted to try something different, so when I saw an advert in my local paper asking for volunteers at Knole I applied and was given the opportunity to become a Premises Team volunteer. Since having been a member of the Premises Team I have done numerous jobs, from working in parts of the house that the majority of people do not get to see, which is a great privilege, and working in the parkland, which I love. I really enjoy being out in all weathers, watching the four seasons pass, which I took more notice of in my second year and discovered how each season has its own beauty.

I have now been at Knole for just over two years, I am doing four days a week paid work. I have done lots of work on the car parking areas, putting up signs, replacing the log edging and keeping the National Trust area of the park free of litter and leafs. I was given a great opportunity to work as a volunteer here at Knole which has turned into a job that I love. You could say its turned into my dream job. It is not a chore for me when I wake up in the mornings, not like it was in my old job. The whole Knole property team are very friendly and I have been made to feel a big part of the Premises Team. So if  you are reading this, then why not give volunteering at Knole a go, its the best thing I have ever done.

Steven working on the car park

Time for change at Knole

Clock Tower

Twice a year with the inevitable time changes all of the electronic and manual timers require changing. The best job of all is the clock on the tower at above Green Court. This responsibility falls to the team, me  usually as it is done early on a Sunday morning.

Clock Tower stairs

The climb up the 77 steps up the winding staircase is well worth it for the wonderful views out across the park, a view not witnessed by many people. To put the clock back in the Autumn requires two trips up to the clock – keeping me fit. One trip to stop the clock and a return an hour later to restart the pendulum.

In such an old time piece it is not the only time that we have to ascend to the highest point at Knole. Every three or four weeks the clock as it has a habit of speeding up or slowing down… This managed by adding or taking off pennies from the pendulum to regulate the swing speed.

Pennies on the pendulum

The inner workings of the clock at Knole

The bell strike regulator

Incorrect time on the clock is not an unknown issue here at Knole for many years in the past the staff have worked to “Knole time” ignoring the Greenwich and working from the clock. So next time you think the staff might be a bit early or later opening the wicket gates at the start to the open day, check the clock we might be working on Knole time!

Clock mechanism

Crumbling Walls

Part of the wall in the Green Court that has come away

Part of the day to day inspections of the House is to check for loose masonry and changes to the external surfaces of the buildings. As the picture shows a large part of stone had become loose and therefore was a possible loss of structure or danger to our visitors. This large piece of stone has been taken away and stored in the hope that at some point in the future it can be repaired. The team have to keep a constant watch for crumbling stone work as any falling masonry could seriously injure our visitors and weaken the internal fabric of the building and external wall.

Removal of masonry for safe keeping

The majority of stone that falls from the walls of Knole are not normally this large. The good thing about it being so big is that we can repair the wall with the majority of the stone. The unusual thing about this piece of stone is the time of year it has come away. We would expect this to happen after winter when ice has got into cracks and blown the mortar away.

Premises Team – will let the grass grow under your feet!

Worn grass edge in Green Court

 

So far the feet of over 80,000 House visitors have pounded the turf around Green Court and the bear grass edges are showing the effects of so many footprints. The look and feel of the grounds here at Knole are very important to the team and the magnificent courtyards are a great pride to us. With the combination of the dry hot summer here in Kent and the many visitors the grass was looking rather tread bear in places. Last week contractors were employed to lift a long strip of turf and re-lay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turf stripped time for a cuppa!

 

Firstly stripping off the old turf they prepared the soil to take the new beautiful and very green turf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laying the new turf

 

Several cups of tea later and a great deal of hard labour the turf was re-laid and cut to perfection along its York stone edges. Following a quench from a long spray with Kent’s finest water, the turf was then give a welcome drink and left to settle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New grass edge in place after a drink

 

So away we go again… lets hope this grass lasts a little longer, once its rooted it will be fit to welcome another 80,000+ visitors for the coming year.

Welcome

SW view of house from an elevated position

Welcome to the very first blog from the Premises team here at Knole. Using this space I, with the help of my team, plan to keep you updated with all the fascinating “behind the scenes” activities at Knole. Everyday is different and with such a diverse site no day ends as expected. This is truly the best place ever to work and visit, through this blog I hope to give you a taste which makes you want to come and take a look yourself.
Join us for the laughter and the tears (of joy!) and the pain of possibly never quite getting to the end…… I hope you enjoy reading and feeding back and that we can keep you interested enough to come and visit us and enjoy what is The most fantastic place that is Knole.