diff --git a/src/data.cpp b/src/data.cpp
index 961aeb7..1a0c954 100644
--- a/src/data.cpp
+++ b/src/data.cpp
@@ -175,6 +175,41 @@ Value Value::allocMember()
     return Value::Helper::build(fld, *this);
 }
 
+void Value::clear()
+{
+    if(!desc)
+        return;
+
+    for(auto i : range(size_t(0u), desc->size())) {
+        auto& s = store.get()[i];
+        s.valid = false;
+
+        switch(s.code) {
+        case StoreType::Array:
+            s.as<shared_array<const void>>().clear();
+            break;
+        case StoreType::Compound:
+        {
+            auto& v = s.as<Value>();
+            v.desc = nullptr;
+            v.store.reset();
+        }
+            break;
+        case StoreType::String:
+            s.as<std::string>().clear();
+            break;
+        case StoreType::Null:
+            break; // nothing to do
+        case StoreType::Bool:
+        case StoreType::UInteger:
+        case StoreType::Integer:
+        case StoreType::Real:
+            memset(&s.store, 0, sizeof(s.store)); // just zero
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 bool Value::isMarked(bool parents, bool children) const
 {
     if(!desc)
diff --git a/src/pvxs/data.h b/src/pvxs/data.h
index da4eba9..de9cfdb 100644
--- a/src/pvxs/data.h
+++ b/src/pvxs/data.h
@@ -550,6 +550,15 @@ public:
     //! Use to allocate members for an array of Struct and array of Union
     Value allocMember();
 
+    /** Restore to newly allocated state.
+     *
+     * Free any allocation for array or string values, zero numeric values.
+     * unmark() all fields.
+     *
+     * @since UNRELEASED
+     */
+    void clear();
+
     //! Does this Value actually reference some underlying storage
     inline bool valid() const { return desc; }
     inline explicit operator bool() const { return desc; }
diff --git a/test/testdata.cpp b/test/testdata.cpp
index d45e159..5c6e2a4 100644
--- a/test/testdata.cpp
+++ b/test/testdata.cpp
@@ -342,11 +342,44 @@ void testExtract()
     }
 }
 
+void testClear()
+{
+    testShow()<<__func__;
+
+    auto val = TypeDef(TypeCode::Struct, {
+                           members::UInt32("int"),
+                           members::String("string"),
+                           members::UInt32A("arr"),
+                           members::Any("any"),
+                       }).create();
+
+    val["int"] = 0x12345678;
+    val["string"] = "testing";
+    val["arr"] = shared_array<const uint32_t>({1,2,3});
+    val["any"].assign(nt::NTScalar{TypeCode::UInt32}.create());
+    val["any->value"] = 0x01020304;
+
+    testEq(val["int"].as<uint32_t>(), 0x12345678u);
+    testEq(val["string"].as<std::string>(), std::string("testing"));
+    testEq(val["arr"].as<shared_array<const void>>().size(), 3u);
+    testTrue(!!val["any->"]);
+    testEq(val["any->value"].as<uint32_t>(), 0x01020304u);
+    testTrue(val.isMarked(true, true));
+
+    val.clear();
+
+    testEq(val["int"].as<uint32_t>(), 0u);
+    testEq(val["string"].as<std::string>(), std::string(""));
+    testEq(val["arr"].as<shared_array<const void>>().size(), 0u);
+    testFalse(val["any->"]);
+    testFalse(val.isMarked(true, true));
+}
+
 } // namespace
 
 MAIN(testdata)
 {
-    testPlan(116);
+    testPlan(127);
     testSetup();
     testTraverse();
     testAssign();
@@ -390,6 +423,7 @@ MAIN(testdata)
 
     testAssignSimilar();
     testExtract();
+    testClear();
     cleanup_for_valgrind();
     return testDone();
 }