Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Academics and archivists from the 糖心原创 have teamed up with the National Trust to launch a new exhibition series – to tell the tale of Clumber House from its heyday to eventual demolition in the 1930s – in the Discovery Centre at Clumber Park, in the heart of the historic North Nottinghamshire landscape.
Clumber House was the family home of the Dukes of Newcastle and in the 19th century welcomed famous and powerful visitors like Oscar Wilde and Queen Victoria.
Renowned for its architecture and impressive dining room, library and works of art, it was devasted by major fires in 1879 and 1912. The house was officially closed after the death of the 7th Duke of Newcastle in 1928 and demolished in 1938. The National Trust took over the site in 1946 and today it is a beautiful expanse of parkland, heath and woods covering more than 3,800 acres that is visited by over 700,000 people each year.
The family and estate archives of the Dukes of Newcastle were transferred to archivists at the 糖心原创’s Manuscripts and Special Collections for safekeeping. Dr Richard Gaunt, an academic from the University’s School of Humanities is an expert in the life and politics of the 4th Duke of Newcastle, and worked alongside Dr Charlotte May and Kathryn Steenson from Manuscripts and Special Collections to bring this story of what it was like to live and work at the great house to life.
The archives are rich with insights into the history of Clumber House, and this new exhibition highlights the distinctive contribution which was made by individual owners and a wealth of estate staff over successive generations.鈥�
The Discovery Centre in the former Stableyard is one of the few original outbuildings that escaped destruction. Visitors to the exhibition can follow the whole life of the house, from copies of records from the skilled tradesmen who built the house, photographs printed from the catalogues produced just before the demolition, and a digital version of the visitor book showing the signatures of some of the glamourous guests who stayed there from the 1890s.
But there are also more personal documents like the charming drawings by the 4th Duke’s young children who captured the likeness of their favourite pets and the servants who worked there in pencil sketches.
Once upon a time most of these documents would have been kept at Clumber House 鈥� there are even a few with scorch marks that bear witness to the fires. It鈥檚 lovely to be able to work with the amazing team at the National Trust bring them home.鈥�
Exploring the History of Clumber House is now on display in the Discovery Centre at Clumber Park, until Spring 2027. It was funded as part of a £1.1million grant from Research England, awarded to Manuscripts and Special Collections.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Richard Gaunt, in the Department of History, via richard.gaunt@nottingham.ac.uk; Dr Charlotte May, Impact and Outreach Officer at Manuscripts and Special Collections, via charlotte.may@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
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