The Chiswick House and Gardens Conservatory is currently closed to the public due to safety concerns. Owned by London Borough of Hounslow and operated by Chiswick House and Gardens Trust, the conservatory is a Grade 1 listed historic garden building, originally dating from 1813, restored several times, with its most recent full restoration taking place in 2008-2010.

The conservatory’s historic back of house areas, unglazed, currently hidden from public view, have undergone significant works in 2025 – ensuring the protection of original ‘service features’, including a vaulted water tank and original boiler pit – to open them as creative spaces for local artists. These new studios will open in late spring 2025. This is the first step towards a re-opening of the whole conservatory.

In the context of the busy gardens, a thriving community programme and an internationally recognised historic site, the Trust and London Borough of Hounslow Council are working in partnership to plan for and secure the whole conservatory’s future, while ensuring the structural integrity of the building. Progress is being made.

The Trust undertook a listing review with Historic England in 2022, Chiswick House and Gardens Conservatory Listing This confirms the architectural, historic and overall value of the building.

The conservatory is known for its camellia collection. In 2023 the Trust commissioned a detailed report into the historic origins of the current camellia collection and established duplicate collections at RBG Kew and in the adjacent shrubbery at Chiswick House and Gardens. The care of the camellias is undertaken with safety in mind, and the plants are healthy and thriving, despite the obvious challenges of record-breaking temperatures in summer 2022.

Repairs to the glazed conservatory have taken place at least annually since 2020. The Trust undertakes regular condition reviews and is advised by specialist architects.

There is much more work to do to define the sustainable future for this much-loved building and the Trust is working with specialists and experts to inform the decision-making process. The Trust in partnership with London Borough of Hounslow will provide quarterly updates going forward and is establishing on-site communication to share the conservatory story, launching in May 2025.