History and Information

Newstead Abbey, best known as the former home of the poet Lord Byron, was originally an Augustinian priory founded by Henry II in about 1170. A small religious community existed there until Henry VIII dissolved the monastery in 1539. In the following year, Henry granted Newstead to the poet's ancestor, Sir John Byron, who converted the priory into a house for his family.

Sir John Byron and his successors kept much of the monastic structure and layout so that, to this day, the house retains its medieval character. The most famous survival is the west front of the church, which dates from the late 13th century, with its statue of St Mary, to whom the priory was dedicated.

The monastic chapter house also survives and has been used as a chapel since the time of the Byrons.

Newstead remained in Byron family ownership until the poet sold it to Thomas Wildman in 1818. Wildman had inherited a fortune from plantations owned by his family in Jamaica.

He spent this wealth repairing and restoring Newstead, which was in a very poor state when he bought it. Like the Byrons before him, Wildman preserved the medieval style of the house. He employed the architect John Shaw to carry out alterations which blend well with the oldest parts of the building.

Likewise, Wildman filled the house with fine old tapestries, ancient armour and antique furniture in keeping with its long history.

In 1861 William Frederick Webb, African explorer and friend of Dr David Livingstone, purchased the Abbey from Thomas Wildman's widow. Under Mr Webb, the chapel was redecorated but the rest of the house remained largely unaltered.

After Mr Webb died in 1899, the estate passed to each of his surviving children and finally to his grandson Charles Ian Fraser. Mr Fraser sold Newstead to the Nottinghamshire philanthropist Sir Julien Cahn, who presented it to Nottingham Corporation in 1931.