Newstead Abbey, Newstead Village, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Set in 300 acres of glorious English parkland, Newstead Abbey should be on your list for a family visit when you’re staying nearby on your large group holidays in Nottinghamshire. Way back in the 12th century, this was a grand monastic abbey with its own church – you can still see the magnificent West Front façade, the Chapter House (now the chapel) and the original Medieval cloisters.
Newstead Abbey is famous as being the home of Romantic poet Lord Byron from 1808 to 1814; take a tour of the house to see his private apartments and the writing desk where many of his well-known works were penned. Wander through the Gothic Revival Library, the Victorian Kitchen and the Great Hall with its rich oak panelling; browse the fascinating collections of life here through the ages.
The gardens, where peacocks roam free, are exquisite; make like you’re in a period drama as you wander in the formal gardens with their neatly clipped box hedging and gorgeous flower borders, stroll around the lake and watch swans glide, through the Rose Garden and Sub-tropical Garden, spend a mindful moment in the Walled Garden where lush ferns grow among the rockeries and waterfalls, and the Japanese Oasis, with its stepping stones and bamboo groves. In the springtime the rhododendrons are a feast for the eyes, in the autumn, it’s the turn of the red maples.
Follow the paths on the wider estate, stretch your legs and fill your lungs with wholesome fresh air, give the kids a hand with the activity trail, then take them to the play park to let off steam. Of course, it would only be right to round off your visit to Newstead Abbey with a stop off for tea and cake or a sandwich in the café, and a peek in the shop to find a little souvenir to take home.
Open: 10:00am-4:00pm every day
T: 01623 455900
All information correct at the time of writing