Nottingham / Places / Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey, Ravenshead, Ravenshead
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Ravenshead
WHAT IT’S LIKE
300 acres of parkland, a play park and trail sheets to grab at the gate, kids 15 and under go free with a paying adult.
Newstead Abbey is a 300-acre historic estate near Nottingham, once home to the poet Lord Byron, with gardens, a lake and parkland to explore alongside the abbey house. Right now the main House is closed for repair works as part of the 'Raise The Roof' project, but you can still see 'The Heart of Medieval Newstead' exhibition in the Cloisters and Byron's study daily, and there are weekend walk-throughs of the House at set times, all included in standard admission. Families get a lot for one ticket: kids 15 and under go free (up to three per paying adult), and admission is pay-once-visit-all-year, so it's worth treating as a season pass rather than a one-off day out. There's a play park near the formal gardens, outdoor activity and trail sheets available from the entry points, and seasonal trails like the 'George & The Dragon' Outdoor Trail and 'Curious Creature Hunt' running over the summer holidays. Open air theatre performances (bring a rug or low-back chair, picnics welcome) run on select summer evenings in the grounds, though dogs aren't allowed at those events and under-16s must be with an adult. Practically: there's an on-site café with indoor and outdoor seating, a shop in the Historic House, baby feeding facilities in the café, and baby changing facilities. Parking and site entry are charged separately from admission (cars £6–£7 depending on day, £10 on event days; walkers/cyclists £2), so budget for that on top of the ticket. Enter via the A60 gate only, sat nav postcode NG15 9HJ. If arriving by train on the Robin Hood Line, it's a 1-mile (about 20 minute) walk from the station down the drive, so not ideal with a buggy in tow.
GOOD TO KNOW
Areas to explore
Gardens & Park
outdoors300 acres of parkland including gardens and a lake.
Lake
outdoorsLake within the estate grounds (no swimming or fishing permitted).
Play Park
outdoorsChildren's play park located near the formal gardens.
The Heart of Medieval Newstead
indoorsExhibition in the Cloisters featuring Lord Byron's study and displays of his personal items.
Experiences
House Walkthrough
indoorsGuided walk-through of the main historic House, available at weekends.
What's on
'Curious Creature Hunt'
Trail/hunt activity for visitors.
'George & The Dragon' Outdoor Trail
Outdoor trail event held over summer.
GCSE focus: Creative Writing and the World of Byron (School Session)
School session on creative writing skills for GCSE English Language Paper 1, using Newstead Abbey as inspiration.
Open Air Theatre
Programme of open air theatre performances in the grounds surrounding the Historic House.
Open Air Theatre: Romeo & Juliet
Open air theatre performance of Romeo & Juliet. Gates open 6pm, performance starts 7pm.
Open Air Theatre: The Three Musketeers
Open air theatre performance of The Three Musketeers. Gates open 5pm, performance starts 6pm.
Open Air Theatre: Treasure Island
Open air theatre performance of Treasure Island. Gates open 6pm, performance starts 7pm.
Open Air Theatre: Twelfth Night
Open air theatre performance of Twelfth Night. Gates open 6pm, performance starts 7pm.
Summer Holidays
Summer holidays activities at Newstead Abbey.
The Heart of Medieval Newstead
Exhibition in the Cloisters featuring Byron's study and personal items.
Tree Trails (School Session)
School session meeting Newstead's trees, learning to identify them and exploring related wildlife, with practical science activities.
Unseen Poetry: Newstead through the eyes of Byron (School Session)
KS3/4/5 English school session analysing unseen poetry using Byron and Newstead as inspiration.
Wellbeing at Newstead
Wellbeing event held monthly, all year round.