Newstead Abbey
The ancestral home of poet Lord Byron, where Gothic abbey ruins join a manor house, set among lakes, a Japanese garden and peacocks.
Newstead Abbey was originally a 12th-century Augustinian priory and became the Byron family home after the Reformation. The poet Lord Byron lived here, and the house preserves his bedroom, manuscripts and memorabilia. The most striking feature is the Gothic west front of the abbey church, now a ruin. The roughly 120-hectare gardens feature lakes, waterfalls, a Japanese garden and strolling peacocks. Managed by Nottingham City Council, the gardens are open for long hours, while the house has limited opening days and charges admission. It lies about 18 km from the city centre.
Opening hours
Gardens about 10:00–17:00; house open days per official website
Nearby sights
- D. H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum
- Wollaton Hall
- Old Market Square & Council House
- Nottingham Castle
- Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
- City of Caves
- Nottingham Contemporary
- Lace Market & Hockley