Celebrating
a national
treasure

National Trust

One of our stately
homes turn 50.

Sissinghurst Castle, in the rolling Kent Weald, was the home of Vita Sackville-West and her diplomat husband Harold, renowned the world over for the stunning gardens they created. Vita was, of course, also an author, friend and lover of Virginia Wolfe and member of the notoriously bohemian Bloomsbury set. Over the years, Cheeky have produced material and films for exhibitions covering the Geek Gardens, an Iris spectacular, the childrens Dragonfly trail, a Beatrix Potter feature and several building restorations, all while trying not to break anything.

  • EXHIBITIONS
  • FILM
  • CONTENT

A golden
jubilee

The first exhibition celebrated 50 years of Sissinghurst Castle becoming a National Trust Property. Working in a listed building provided its own challenges, not least not being able to attach anything to the walls and printed materials having to be damp-proofed. The exhibition panels and film explored the history of the house, including its time as a Napolionic prisoner of war camp, the gardens and its famous owners.

National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust
National Trust National Trust
National Trust
National Trust National Trust

The Tower
Renovation project.

After the success of the 50th anniversary the main tower was to close for much needed renovation work. We were tasked to create an exhibition to both explain to visitors what was going on and show the contents of the tower that was off limits. We were privileged to go 'behind the ropes' into the rooms as the curators worked on the restoration of building and artefacts. The curators told us the stories and history behind the artefacts including the Napoleonic graffiti and Vita’s personal belongings. We also interviewed Harold and Vita's grandchildren for an exhibition film.

We incorporated some of the scaffolding from the building work to help give a feeling of the restoration work, again avoiding attaching anything to the walls.

National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust
National Trust
National Trust National Trust
National Trust National Trust

The Oasthouse
Restoration.

A crumbling Oast was our next challenge. The building had been used for storage so had seen better days, but it was the perfect space to renovate to explain what exactly an traditional Kentish Oasthouse was used for.

While the building and its original Press were being renovated, we documented the work, had a dig around in the archives and created a permanent exhibition explaining the process of getting freshly harvested, local hops, onto carts to turn into freshly brewed, local beer. A labour of love you might say.

National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust National Trust
National Trust National Trust
National Trust

"The team at Cheeky have been great to work with – always coming up with creative solutions for everything we have asked them to do. The exhibitions they have created have covered everything from LGBTQ issues, historic garden design and an Elizabethan tower restoration. They have always used imaginative ways to get round the limitations of working in listed, historic and fragile rooms and buildings. I couldn't recommend them highly enough."

Katie Shaw

Sissinghurst Castle Marketing Manager, National Trust

NEXT Project
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