Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Newstead Abbey, was never an abbey, it was built by Henry II part of his penance for killing Thomas Becket around 1140. It was an Augustinian priory the monks known as the Black Canons (believed to be the inspiration for Friar Tuck) lived here in 13th century, until the dissolution of the monastries, it became the property of Henry VIII. Most people know it for its links to Lord Byron, the Byron family owned it, although the poet only lived here with his mother for 2 years in residence for only 6 months approx. There are ghost stories and tales of wrong doing to go with the house, worth a read, before coming, it makes the house come to life if you know the tales of the time. On this occasion we walked the beautiful garden area and woodland with our lovely dogs. The Japanese garden is a wonderful spot to read or sketch. We found all the staff we met today, to be both lovely & helpful, from head gardener, groundsmen, cafe staff.. For those of you with young children there is a lovely play area not far from the house.
Enya21Enya21
10
A real mixed bag for our visit today - Though because we had our dogs we didn't actually get chance to tour the Abbey itself, but there is room for improvement in other areas.. The okay: £6 to park all day is very good value for money, and the grandeur and vista of the Abbey upon arrival is certainly stunning. The bad: After grabbing a (not so quick) coffee from the dreadfully understaffed deli (1 person manning it at lunchtime on Bank Holiday Monday), we set off with the dogs for a wander around the estate.. only to find that the walks and trails were very poorly signposted or marked out, and we ended up doubling back on ourselves twice - once because we ended up heading towards Newstead village, and once because the walking trail to the cannon fort and beyond actually comes to a very abrupt dead end, with no prior warning! There are also absolutely no poo or litter bins anywhere other than a handful around the cafe courtyard, so you either get stuck carrying rubbish around all day, or finding poo bag baubles hanging from every branch. The cafe was unfortunately a shambles - No hot food served after 2pm, all other food other than cakes was sold out, the coffee machine was broken, the staff were thoroughly disinterested, and the cafe itself looked like it hadn't been cleaned all weekend - we grabbed what turned out to be surprisingly good milkshakes and made a swift exit towards the grounds that surround the Abbey.. Which leads to the Good: The Spanish and Japanese Gardens are lovely, well maintained, well signposted, pleasant areas to meander around, great views of the lakes and the Abbey. Would I return? Unfortunately I don't think so, when you compare this to Clumber Park or Sandringham, which are similar venues at similar prices, Newstead falls behind in terms of just getting the basics right for your average, walking tourist looking for a day out
Ben McloughlinBen Mcloughlin
00
Such a beautiful house but only open at the weekends, unfortunately not everyone is available at a weekend to visit. There are some lovely areas to visit in the gardens but relying heavily on volunteers I suspect as they were really lacking in attention in some areas. What could be a stunning location for the Japanese garden has become overgrown and neglected. The wooden structures are vandalised and rotten leaving a far from vision of tranquility and beauty. The ponds over time have become full of silt and the plants around them hide stone sculpture. Apart from some stepping stones hidden by gunnera plants there isn’t any focal points to this area, very disappointing. Missing so many fantastic marketing ideas the grounds are nice but could be spectacular. Cafe is clean and presentable but staffed by younger people with no sense of urgency or motivation. Overall a beautiful house and gardens but severely lacking in a professional touch and style
Russell CottinghamRussell Cottingham
00
Currently £6 for car entry £2 for walkers or cyclists or a £10 annual pass for walkers and cyclists. Plenty of parking on a field not far from the Abbey with a drop off point closer if needed for mobility reasons. The cafe was open and there is plenty of outdoor seating. Toilets were clean and tidy. The grounds are beautiful the kids aged 7 and 5 absolutely loved exploring all of the footpaths and hedgerows and the stepping stones and bridges in the Japanese garden. The main paths are wide and we'll maintained but the smaller footpaths and historical parts of the garden are narrow and uneven. The plants were in beautiful autumn colours, and the waters in the lakes and streams were absolutely crystal clear. We spent around 4 hours exploring and having a picnic in one of the small huts in the Japanese garden. A fantastic day out highly recommended
Laura ArmitageLaura Armitage
00
Called here after staying in Derbyshire for a few days. £6 all day parking then you only pay extra if you want to access the Abbey. As we had two dogs this wasn’t an option unfortunately. However the grounds are very nice to explore and vast. Lovely formal gardens, a huge sunken pond, lakes, waterfall, probably more that we didn’t have the time or energy to explore as we’d already done some walking elsewhere that morning 🙂. We are National Trust members so have seen some great places but this is a gem and council owned. Value for money I think at £6 entrance for the grounds alone, I think the house was an extra £10 ? Enjoyed our few hours here. Loads of space to park on the fields leading down to the house. Long drive down to the car park entrance. Contactless payment taken at the gate as soon as you pull in off the main road.
Ian MIan M
10
Did not go inside property but admired from the outside plus wondered the grounds. Plenty of exciting spaces to explore, my 2 year old particularly enjoyed the Japanese garden with its hidden stepping stone bridges and paths. Also a hidden by the trees play area. Some areas are inaccessible by push chair and quite a few steps so bear that in mind, however plenty of pathways that are so that's fine. Toilets and cafe also OK. Best seen in beautiful sunshine (if you are lucky!) Can easily make a day out here. We parked on the outskirts and walked a couple of miles in, which we enjoyed and saves on car parking fee - and you get to explore a beautiful outside space that's not rammed like some other places in the summer holidays.
Natalie WeirNatalie Weir
20
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Address
Nottingham Rd, Ravenshead, Nottingham NG15 9HJ, United Kingdom
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Phone
+44 115 876 3100
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Website
newsteadabbey.org.uk
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4.7
(2.2K reviews)
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cultural
outdoor
family friendly
Description
Newstead Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, England, was formerly an Augustinian priory. Converted to a domestic home following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it is now best known as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.
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