The Florence Nightingale Urn Restoration Project

Chilstone had the great honour restoring and replicating this ornate urn which once graced the gardens of Florence Nightingale’s family home, Embley Park in Hampshire.

Embley Park is now owned by Hampshire Collegiate, where the last remaining urn was found stored in an outbuilding. A member of the school’s staff recognised the urn in a photograph of Florence Nightingale taken in the grounds in 1858 and due to its historic value, Chilstone were asked to restore the urn to its former glory.

The Urn was badly damaged and Chilstone worked diligently to preserve the original features during its meticulous renovation. All our products are handmade and the details on the urn were so delicate that any use of machinery would have destroyed them. Using the last surviving urn with our skills and craftsmanship we faithfully reproduced this beautiful ornament. We also returned the original for display at the school. Twenty further urns were commissioned to be showcased throughout the grounds of Embley Park where they were once enjoyed by the Nightingale family.

Chilstone were honoured to be involved in this project that resulted in a truly fitting memorial for Florence Nightingale, whose contribution to the wellbeing of all mankind can never be underestimated. Hampshire Collegiate were pleased to share this urn and make it available to our clients.