National Trust’s largest ground source heat pump for Waddesdon Manor
UK – Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire will end its reliance on fossil fuel heating by moving to a ground source heat pump (GSHP) system.
The manor and its historic gardens are owned by the National Trust and managed by the Rothschild Foundation. The project is said to showcase a shared commitment to tackling the climate crisis and safeguarding the UK’s heritage for future generations.
The current gas heating system is over 25 years old, with seven boilers and three hot water cylinders burning almost one million kWh of gas a year. The GSHP will remove gas from the property entirely, cutting emissions by 124 tonnes a year and delivering over 500,000kWh of renewable heat annually.
An array of 46 vertical boreholes, each 160m deep, will be installed in the North Lawns in front of the manor, which will transfer natural heat from the ground to new heat pumps in the basement that will provide heating for comfort and conservation as well as hot water throughout the building.
The National Trust’s largest ever GSHP solution was selected for its ability to minimise the visual impact on the house and create a stable environment inside the building, protecting the manor’s historic character, landscape and collections. Once the works are complete there will be no evidence of the underground network of pipes and no emissions on site.
The first phase of the project will begin in August, with the drilling of the boreholes. The internal work will start in November 2026, with the project scheduled to be completed by April 2027.
This project is a major step forward in our ambition to reduce carbon emissions across our estate.
Paul Cook, Project Sponsor and Assistant Director of Operations at the National Trust
As part of the project the mains gas supply will be removed, making the site safer and reducing the manor’s exposure to volatile gas prices.
The GSHP will also help to preserve Waddesdon Manor’s collection of art, furniture and other important historic objects by providing a constant, stable temperature in the house, eliminating spikes and dips, whether the house is open or closed to the public.
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, said: “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’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.”
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. The house and gardens will close to the public on 29th November 2026, so that internal works and upgrades to the electricity supply can take place.
The manor will be closed for 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.
