I do love a good English day trip, and I’ve been lucky to explore a bit more of the English county of Nottinghamshire recently because one of my friends moved there. In my previous post, I visited Southwell with her, and on this winter visit we headed to Newstead Abbey.
The History of Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey was founded in about 1170, by Henry II in penance for the murder of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral – an event which shocked the country and shaped Henry II’s actions for the rest of his life.
The priory was designed to be home to at least 13 monks, although there appear to have been only 12 at the time the Abbey was shut down. Despite being so small, it couldn’t escape Henry VIII and his blinking dissolutions. I think every other article I publish about England includes this man’s maniacal destructions – see Mottisfont, Shaftesbury, Lacock, Whitby, Rievaulx, Fountain’s and St Augustine’s – to name but a tiny few of the c.800 religious buildings he killed off across the country.
Henry VIII granted the house to Sir John Byron in 1540,and it remained in the Byron family until 1815. The Byrons are a famous family, and perhaps the Estate could have remained with them for longer if the 5th Baron hadn’t squandered his wealth and ended up stripping the Abbey of all its treasures to pay off his debts. After his death, the Abbey passed to the most famous of them all – George Byron, or the Lord Byron, famous for his poetry. His assessment of the situation when he arrived was indeed poetic, and rather dramatic.
Thro’ thy battlements, Newstead, the hollow winds whistle;
Thou, the hall of my fathers, art gone to decay.
He didn’t turn out to be wrong though – unable to keep up the house he was forced to sell it in 1818 to Thomas Wildman, a school friend of Byron’s, whose wealth came from a plantation in Jamaica. The restoration you see today is off the profits of slavery. I’m pleased the Abbey recognised this in its exhibitions, and whilst we can’t change history, I’m glad they faced in to it.
Finally in this long and interesting history, The Webb family took over the house in 1861. Mr Webb was an African explorer, and people such as Livingstone, Wainwright and Susi all visited. His daughters also travelled, and particularly loved Japan – you can find Japanese touches all over the house in tribute. After the family died, the Abbey was given to the Nottingham Corporation in 1931.
What to see & do at Newstead Abbey
Be sure to start your visit inside the house, where you can explore inside the incredible Abbey, including the Great Room, Library, Study and Bedrooms. You can also enter the ex-Abbey cloisters and chapel which are very special.
The Gardens at Newstead are also amazing, with lots to explore. There are formal gardens, woodland area, and my favourite – the Japanese Gardens. Ethel Webb (above mentioned daughter who went to Japan) had no children because she was too busy travelling (oh you 1800s pioneering woman) and dedicated her life to bringing Japan back to England. She was president of the horticultural society for years and the Japanese Garden at Newstead was her passion and her legacy. I loved it.
There’s also a lake to walk around, some lovely cottages to find and a tea room serving some tasty treats. All in all, we spent 4 hours visiting the Abbey.
How to get to Newstead Abbey
It’s easiest to get to Newstead with a car, being 30 minutes from the centre of Nottingham. It’s also do-able as a day trip from nearby cities including Derby (30 mins), Sheffield (50 mins) and Lincoln (1 hour). You could also visit as a day trip from the Peak District, being around 35 minutes from Matlock.
If you don’t have a car, the easiest way to get there is by taking a train in to Nottingham or Mansfield and taking a taxi, although this will be much more expensive than driving and I think there are easier day trips in England without a car.
Overall, I found Newstead Abbey a beautiful place to visit and really enjoyed it. The history was interesting and the grounds beautiful. What do you think? Would you want to visit? Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!
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