The Parkington Stone
- Published:
- 10 September 2026
The Parkington Stone commemorates the saving and restoration of the Flatford Mill Estate by Ipswich businessman Thomas Parkington in the early years of the twentieth century.
Thomas Robert Pearl Parkington (1866–1942) was an Ipswich-born builder, public figure and pioneer of gold-mining techniques who played a pivotal role in saving the Flatford Mill Estate, celebrated in some of John Constable’s most famous paintings.
By 1925 the Flatford Mill estate, including Willy Lott’s House and Flatford Mill, was in serious disrepair and had been offered to the National Trust and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) for acquisition. Neither organisation was in a financial position to buy the buildings and complete the necessary repairs at the time.
Recognising the cultural importance of the landscape and buildings, Thomas Parkington stepped in around 1927 and purchased Willy Lotts House and Flatford Mill to ensure its restoration and protection.
He oversaw repairs to the key buildings with guidance from SPAB enabling visitors to continue enjoying the historic scenes central to Constable’s works.
Parkington’s intention was to preserve Flatford “for the nation” and to gift it to the National Trust. After his death in 1942, the estate was transferred to the National Trust in 1943. Interestingly, while Parkington’s estate was initially near bankruptcy, the eventual liquidation yielded sufficient funds that his widow offered to repay the National Trust the purchase money paid; underpinning the philanthropic motives behind the gift.
Thomas Parkington’s legacy lies in his foresight and generosity by intervening when Flatford’s historic buildings were endangered, ensuring that this iconic rural scene remains accessible and conserved under the care of the National Trust, leased to the Field Studies Council, for future generations.
To find out more Thomas Parkington 1866-1942 – Flatford and Constable
The text on the commemorative stone reads:
Flatford Mill Estate Acquired, restored [&] given in trust by Thomas R. Partington F.R.S.A. of Ipswich as a National possession in memory of John Constable R.A. 1776-1837 for the encouragement of outdoor landscape painting and to preserve the beauties of the English countryside. This centenary stone was unveiled by Mr T Parkington, Nov. 23rd 1937.