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Everyone needs nature, now more than ever. Donate today and you could help people and nature to thrive at the places we care for.
Clumber Park is a special and important place, one of just a handful of Grade I registered parks in the country. Conservation is at the heart of what we do, restoring historical landscapes and protecting rare species and habitats for everyone to enjoy.
With more than 3,800 acres of woodland, heath and parkland, Clumber Park’s natural beauty is why it is one of the top five most visited National Trust places. Carved from Sherwood Forest, Clumber Park is an important example of a designed landscape.
Clumber Park should be a special place for ever, for everyone and conservation is key. Working to enrich the landscape and wildlife of the park, the vision is for a renewed and revitalised Clumber Park where the historic beauty of the place can be enjoyed well into the future.
The National Trust is working closely with long-term tenant farmer, Will Pringle, alongside Natural England on significant conservation work.
The work on the farmland has been part of the Higher Countryside Stewardship Agreement and involved converting 190 hectares of arable farmland to woodland pasture using a variety of land management techniques.
The Pringle family have been working the land for generations; they arrived at Hardwick Grange farm in 1938 and since then, the land has been used for arable and pasture farming and in the 1950s, the farm was host to a dairy farm.
By 2019, all 190 hectares of land was managed for arable use. The change of land management to wood pasture has been done in the interest of sustainability to the farmland and increase the benefits to wildlife that the land can have.
At the end of 2021, work began to reinstate the Duke’s Orchard, a long-lost feature of Clumber Park. The orchard is 1 hectare in size and is located in Cow Pastures, adjacent to our famous walled kitchen garden.
Traditionally, the orchard would have supplied fruit to the ducal family and has been recreated using historic documents and old ordinance survey maps to reintroduce a new nature destination for visitors to enjoy for decades to come.
The newly created orchard has seen 100 trees be planted, surrounded by wildflower meadow and hedgerow that contain Hawthorn and Blackthorn that can be picked during the autumn. Within the orchard, benches are placed to welcome visitors to sit and watch nature in action.
Once the Duke’s Orchard becomes fully established over the coming years, visitors will have the opportunity to pick fruit from the trees and forage from the hedgerow surrounding the orchard.
Back in March 2018, the stunning Ornamental Bridge was damaged by a devastating act of vandalism. It took more than two years for the iconic Grade II* listed bridge to be restored to its former glory.
The bridge was rebuilt using sections of the original stonework, recovered from the River Poulter beneath it, as well as specially created stone provided by Croft Building and Conservation.
This also provided the opportunity to carry out other essential work to other areas of the bridge, thanks to funds raised by supporters after the incident occurred.
This wouldn’t have been possible without the skills and expertise of our partners at Rodney Melville + Partners, and Croft Building and Conservation, or the continued and overwhelming commitment of our visitors, members, volunteers, and staff.
The project was completed in spring 2022 and the bridge is now fully reinstated, offering a unique viewpoint of the Chapel spire and the beautiful parkland.
A trip along Lime Tree Avenue transports you to a time when the Dukes of Newcastle spent their days enjoying all the grandeur Clumber Park has to offer. As one of the historic features that welcomes you to the park, the 200-year-old tree-lined avenue provides a glimpse into the park’s past.
Sadly, the future of Lime Tree Avenue is under threat, as years of soil compaction has led to a serious decline in tree health, with a recent survey showing a significant fungal attack on around 50 trees, with the problem worsening year-on-year. As the problem continues as many as four lime trees a year are being lost. To combat the declining tree health, wooden pegs are being installed along key sections where the trees are deemed to be most sensitive to damage.
Visitors can support us by not parking along Lime Tree Avenue and instead using our designated parking areas around the park.
With your ongoing support, we're able to continue our vital conservation work. Thank you for helping to protect these special places.
Everyone needs nature, now more than ever. Donate today and you could help people and nature to thrive at the places we care for.
With 3,800 acres of parkland to explore, there's so much to see and do at Clumber Park this autumn.
Discover how Clumber Park’s walled kitchen garden is maintained using traditional gardening techniques and is one of only a handful of its kind in existence.
From lakeside runs to woodland rides, Clumber Park has 20 miles of trails for cyclists, runners and walkers to explore.
Discover the grand past of Clumber Park; as a hunting ground for royalty, under the care of 13 Dukes and its connections to the Second World War.
One way to support the National Trust, while also spending time in amazing places and making new friends, is to volunteer. Find out more about joining the dedicated team of volunteers working to make Clumber Park a beautiful place to visit.
Whether you're looking for food, drink or the perfect gift, Clumber Park has something for everyone.
Read about our strategy 'For everyone, for ever' here at the National Trust, which will take the organisation through to 2025.
We believe that nature, beauty and history are for everyone. That’s why we’re supporting wildlife, protecting historic sites and more. Find out about our work.