The John Rae Society was launched in December 2013 by a passionate group of people keen to see the extraordinary life and achievements of Dr John Rae rightly acknowledged, and his childhood home, Hall of Clestrain, preserved. We want to see John Rae take his place in world history as a ‘Great Scot’ and for his life to inspire generations to come.
The society’s aims are:
JRS has nearly 500 UK and international members including arctic specialists, explorers, scientists, authors and others who bring expertise to the subject, and is supported by notable patrons – Sir Michael Palin and Ray Mears. Activities include fundraising, site tours, talks, events, website, a YouTube channel and a newsletter. We engage around 2,000 people each year.
In 2016, JRS fundraised to purchase Hall of Clestrain, subsequently commissioning condition and structural reports and carrying out emergency repairs to stabilise the building. We are working hard on our plan to Save Hall of Clestrain through two phased projects:
In 2024 and early 2025, JRS secured listed building consent and planning approval for its Project 1: Save Hall of Clestrain plans.
In July 2024 we secured £248,600 from the National Heritage Lottery Fund to develop our resilience and prepare plans for Project 2. We are on programme to submit a R1 Development Stage application in November 2025, ensuring that we progress Project 2 plans whilst fundraising for and delivering Project 1.
