Ham House lets it slip as haunting backdrop for ‘Never Let Me Go’

Recent visitors to Ham House on the banks of the river Thames in Richmond were surprised to see what they thought was a drop in standards as they visited the National Trust house and gardens.

Formal lawns were left un-mown and weeds were 'planted' in the normally pristine turf. Inside the house, historic artefacts were removed and fluorescent lighting was brought in to create an 'institutional atmosphere'.

But the dishevelled look was not down to staff and volunteers, but a Hollywood makeover for the backdrop to the soon to be released Never Let Me Go starring Keira Knightley.

The 17th century house and gardens were chosen from hundreds of potential locations to become the fictional boarding school Hailsham.

Gary Calland, property manager of Ham House & Garden, said: "It was incredible to see the place transformed into something shabby and run-down.

“Visitors were initially surprised by the transformation but we had plenty of staff on hand to explain what was going on and our Head Gardener Sandra King ensured that everything was returned to its pristine best as soon as filming had finished."
Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go is a story of love, loss and hidden truths. Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightley) spend their childhood at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic English boarding school where they discover a dark and haunting secret about their future.

As they leave the shelter of the school behind, and draw inexorably closer to the devastating fate that awaits them as adults, they must also confront the deep feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal that threaten to pull them apart.

The film opened the 54th BFI London Film Festival last year and will be released nationwide in the UK on Friday 11 February 2011.