Clumber House to be brought back to life

Owned by the Dukes of Newcastle, Clumber House once stood at the heart of Clumber Park in ancient Sherwood Forest. For the first time ever, the magnificent mansion, known as Clumber House is to be brought back to life, for a limited time only in a fascinating, never before seen exhibition from 29 April 2016.

Clumber House once boasted a three flight marble staircase and a grand entrance hall with classical arches, a marble mosaic floor and iconic famous sculptures including one of Napoleon Thetis plunging Achilles into the river.

The House was constructed using only the finest materials from across the globe and furnished with extravagant sculptures and lavish ornaments from countries worldwide including urns from Pompeii and tables made from marble slabs inlaid with precious Indian stones from the King’s Palace in Bermuda. The walls were adorned with paintings by Van Dyke, Rembrandt and Holbein. The library was described as one of the finest private collections in the country, with between fifty and sixty thousand volumes consisting of Mediaeval missals, rare manuscripts and early printed tomes. It also contained a First Folio of Shakespeare's works.

The House underwent several dramatic changes, either to accommodate fashions of its time or as a result of the fires that struck the property in 1879 and 1912. It was eventually demolished in 1938.

For the first time, visitors to Clumber Park are being invited to discover Clumber Park’s history in a brand new temporary exhibition titled ‘The Imagined Mansion’. Visitors are being encouraged to explore the lost rooms of Clumber House, where they can rest in the grand drawing and dining rooms, read in the library, and the other luxurious apartments that have been recreated with a modern twist.

Jen Wicks, Visitor Services Supervisor at Clumber Park and involved in the installation of the exhibition commented:

“The team at Clumber Park are really excited about this new exhibition. We know that our visitors are keen to discover more about the History of Clumber Park and particularly the missing mansion. Responding to that need, this is a creative project which brings the Park’s history to life by interpreting the Mansion Site in a modern way. With the hard work, dedication and the expertise from the team, we have carefully designed an engaging exhibition that is suitable for all ages to enjoy.”

The Imagined Mansion exhibition will open every day from Friday 29 April - Sunday 26 June 2016 and admission is free of charge. A standard admission fee of £7 per vehicle will apply to get into the grounds for non-National Trust Members. National Trust members will benefit from free parking.