Anglesey Abbey has been home to many different people since its earliest days as a monastery, though perhaps most noteworthy is the tenancy of Lord Fairhaven, who made the estate into what it is today...

© NTPL / John Hammond

Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966)

Anglesey Abbey, as we find it today, is largely thanks to the efforts of one man, Urban Huttleston Roger Broughton (or Lord Fairhaven as he later became).

In 1926, he and his brother, Captain Henry Broughton, bought the old priory, and set about transforming it into a thoroughly modern country retreat, perfect for entertaining.

By 1934, the house and grounds were the sole property of Lord Fairhaven. His passion for collecting is very much in evidence now, with displays of paintings, tapestries, furniture, silver and bronze inside the 20th-century treasure house.

The landscape surrounding the Abbey also reflects Lord Fairhaven's passion for nature, which is embodied in the design and planting of the landscaped garden with year-round colour.