Heritage Open Days at Nymans - House & Garden Open with Messel Family Tours

About

Booking not needed. This event is free. Tickets are allocated on arrival with no advance booking.
Friday 11 and Saturday 12 September 2026, 10am to 5pm. Tours by members of the Messel family at 11am, 1pm and 3pm

For a deeper dive into the Messel family, visit the Messel family flat as featured in BBC2's 'Hidden Treasures of the National Trust'. The flat was created in the 1990's by Alistair Buchanan, Messel family representative at Nymans from 1987-2024. Visit the flat in the old stable block where his mother and uncle, Phoebe and Rudolph Messel, used to 'play house' as teenagers with their cousins Anne and Oliver Messel. Inside Alistair commissioned an extraordinary and whimsical series of murals to entertain his future grandchildren. Some of the murals were created by his cousin Victoria Messel. The flat, which has stunning views of Nymans on both sides, also shows off his vivid colour sense with its brightly painted walls. Untouched since the mid 1990's, the flat now houses a collection of family memorabilia, including paintings by renowned artist and theatre designer Oliver Messel, illustrations by Victoria Messel, bespoke furniture commissioned from Alistair's son-in-law Antony Haston who studied at Central St Martins and many objects that were once in the main house at Nymans. The flat is still used by the Messel family and on the tour, you'll meet current family members who will be delighted to share further stories with you about their talented and creative family.