Newstead Abbey
ENTRY
from £18
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Ravenshead
What it’s like
A 300-acre estate near Nottingham with a play park, trails and a house walkthrough, kids go free with a paying adult.
The grounds are the main event here. There's a play park tucked near the formal gardens, a lake and parkland to wander, plus trail sheets like the 'Curious Creature Hunt' that give the kids a job to do while you look at the scenery. The house itself, once Lord Byron's home, is only seen on the walkthroughs at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm, and the Cloisters hold 'The Heart of Medieval Newstead' exhibition if you want something indoors for half an hour.
Admission is £18 for an adult, but kids 15 and under go free, up to three per paying adult, which takes the sting out of it if you've got more than one in tow. It's also pay-once-visit-all-year, so if you reckon you'll be back, it works out as a season ticket rather than a single day trip. On top of that there's parking to factor in, £6 on weekdays, £7 at weekends, £10 if there's an event on, or £2 if you walk or cycle in.
Park and gardens run 10am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm, and the Cloisters exhibition closes earlier, last entry 3pm. The café does food for eating in or taking away, with seating both indoors and out, so a wet afternoon isn't a write-off. Wheelchair access covers ground floor locations only, with manual wheelchairs available and an accessible toilet near the courtyard, and the house walkthrough itself typically involves stairs.
Summer 2026 brings open air theatre in the grounds, picnics welcome, though under-16s need an adult with them and dogs aren't part of that crowd. If you're coming by train, it's Newstead station on the Robin Hood Line, then a mile down the estate drive, about 20 minutes on foot, which is a fair old trek with a buggy.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 4pm for Park & Gardens, 3pm for Cloisters Exhibition
- Parking
- £7 weekend, £6 weekday, £10 on event days
- Food
- On-site café with range of options for onsite & takeaway
- Wheelchairs
- Manual wheelchairs available for ground floor access
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs welcome in house, café, shop, park & gardens
- Getting there by bus or train
- Robin Hood Line rail to Newstead station
- Worth knowing
- Kids go free (15 years & under, up to three per paying adult)
- Admission is pay once, visit all year round, so it works like a season ticket
- Season tickets don't cover event days, parking charges still apply
- The house walkthrough is only on at set times, not all day
- Mobility parking is available near the house entrance
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£18 for an adult, and kids 15 and under go free, up to three per paying adult. Parking is separate, £6 to £7 depending on the day.
Do we need to book?
There's no booking link listed for general admission.
Is there parking?
Yes, £6 on weekdays, £7 at weekends and £10 on event days. Walkers and cyclists pay £2.
What time does it shut?
Park and gardens close at 5pm, last entry 4pm. The Cloisters exhibition has last entry at 3pm.
Can we get into the house?
There are walkthroughs at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm. The route typically involves stairs.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Ground floor locations only, with manual wheelchairs available and an accessible toilet near the courtyard from 10am to 4pm. Carers go free.
Is there food on site?
Yes, a café with options for eating in or taking away, plus indoor and outdoor seating.
Can we bring the dog?
Assistance dogs are welcome in the house, café and grounds. Other dogs need to be on leads and under control, but they're not allowed at open air theatre events.
How do we get there by train?
Newstead station on the Robin Hood Line, then it's about a mile down the estate drive, roughly 20 minutes on foot.
Is it open all year?
It's closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, and shuts for one full day on the final Friday in November.
What's this about the open air theatre?
It's running in summer 2026 in the grounds. Under-16s must be with an adult, and there'll be on-site toilets including accessible ones.
Are BBQs or picnics allowed?
BBQs and open fires are strictly prohibited, but picnics are fine for the open air theatre evenings.
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.
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