Chevening House - Current use
THE CHEVENING TRUST
On the death of the 7th Earl in 1967, the Chevening Estate Act of 1959 (amended in 1987) came into force and the Trustees took over responsibility for the house and the estate. The house was in a parlous condition and the Trustees carried out substantial repairs to the main block. They removed the 3rd Earl’s attic storey and mathematical tiles. The external red brickwork was reinstated and a new roof constructed to the design of Donald Insall Associates following earlier illustrations. This work received a special award in the European Architectural Heritage Year 1975.
Management is the responsibility of the Trustees, whose members include the Lord Privy Seal, the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, two persons appointed by the Prime Minister and one by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In addition, a small number of locally co-opted Trustees make up the Finance and General Purposes Committee. All costs of the house and estate are met from the Trust’s own resources arising from Lord Stanhope’s bequest.
Under the terms of the Act the Prime Minister has the responsibility of nominating the person to occupy the house. This person can be the Prime Minister, a minister who is a member of the Cabinet, a lineal descendant of King George VI, or the spouse, widow or widower of such a descendant. The Canadian High Commissioner, the American Ambassador and the National Trust all have remainder interests in Chevening in the unlikely event that none of the above would require the house.
Up to March 2010 the persons so nominated have been:
The Rt Hon Anthony Barber 1973
The Rt Hon The Lord Hailsham 1973-74
HRH The Prince of Wales 1974-80
The Rt Hon The Lord Carrington 1981-82
The Rt Hon Francis Pym 1982-83
The Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Howe 1983-89
The Rt Hon John Major 1989
The Rt Hon Douglas Hurd 1989-95
The Rt Hon Malcolm Rifkind 1995-97
The Rt Hon Robin Cook 1997-2001
The Rt Hon Jack Straw 2001-06
The Rt Hon Margaret Beckett 2006-07
The Rt Hon David Miliband 2007-10
The Rt Hon William Hague and The Rt Hon Nick Clegg 2010-
Current Use Of Chevening House
The present occupiers of the house are the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Deputy Prime Minster who use it in an official and private capacity, each being the Nominated Person in turn for the duration of their visits. They have both agreed to a request from the Trustees that the house may be used by Government Departments for conferences when circumstances permit. Such use provides the Trust with a modest income and ensures that full use is made of the available facilities
The house is opened a very limited number of times each year to local historical groups, other interest groups and Chevening Primary School.
The gardens are opened up to three times annually in support of local charities.
