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Clumber Park
Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire is owned by the National Trust. The wide estate of just under 4000 acres consists of gardens, parkland, field, heaths and woodland around Clumber Lake. Alas Clumber House no longer exists other than the outline of the footings in the grounds.
Clumber House was built for the second Duke of Newcastle under Lyme by Stephen Wright about 1767 - 1770. It was a grand house in the Palladian Style built of ashlar blocks. It was enlarged and embellished in the Italianate style by the fifth Duke in the 1850s. In late Nineteenth Century there was a fire that destroyed the whole centre section of the house which was soon rebuilt. There was a further small fire in 1912. In 1938 the house was stripped and the contents were sold. When all was done the house was demolished. It was intended to build a new house on the site but the park was requisitioned by the War Department in the Second World War and it never happened. The park was purchased by the National Trust in 1946. However much of the estate remains including the Chapel, Walled Garden, Stableyard, Greenhouses and the estate village of Hardwick tucked away at a decent proletarian distance from the house.
The present chapel in Clumber park was built in the 1880s in Gothic Revival style by G.F. Bodley and dedicated to St Mary the Virgin in 1889. It contains fine stained glass, wood carvings, statues and Gray and Davidson organ. The chapel and organ were renovated in the late 1970 by the National Trust. The chapel still serves the estate workers and is sometimes open to view.
There were two earlier chapels, one attached to the northwest of the house and the other on a site about sixty yards from the present building.
Clumber Stableyard was presumably built in the 18th Century still exists and is used as offices or stores. Just to the right of this photograph is the shop and cafe.
Hardwick Village at the northeast end of the lake is the estate village. Actually the village is much older than the Clumber estate with various references from the Middle Ages though no mention in the Doomsday Book. There is a grange farm, estate offices and yards, kennels and some very nice property which gives the place a very Tudor look. The buildings on which we found dates were early Twentieth Century. There is a house called the Chantry which is now a private home but used to be the hostel for the boys who sang in the Chapel choir.
You can see the low level of the water by the muddy 'beaches' that have been exposed. The black lump in the middle is not a loitering crocodile but the wreck of the Lincoln.
Clumber Lake was formed by the damming of the River Poulter and the excavating of the river bed in 1774. It was extended and enlarged in 1817 and 1885. The owners of Clumber Park kept various boats on the lake doubtless for parties and entertaining including a scale model frigate called the Lincoln.
Unfortunately underground mining has caused many problems and in 2004 the level of the lake is very low and frankly the water is fetid and stinks. The birds don't seem to mind. I understand that the mining has or will shortly cease and that restoration of the lake will commence in 2005. The wreck of the Lincoln can be seen at present but it isn't much to see as it is under constant spraying to stop the timbers drying out. I think that the fishing has been kiboshed for the time being too.
Clumber Park is primarily a place to go hiking, strolling or cycling (hire available). There is a longish walk all around the lake via Hardwick Village at the top, across the River Poulter and back down the other side to Clumber Bridge I reckon about 5 miles without diversions. Some of the walks along the lake are closed in 2004 and other areas will be closed in 2005 but you can divert through the woods. There used to a little ferry boat that crossed halfway but this is long gone. There are loads of woodland walks, picnic areas and a barbecue site off Limetree Avenue. There are regular weekend cricket matches in season and parking around the cricket ground is a very popular thing to do. There is a cafe and a gift shop. Clumber is a regular venue for big, big concerts and other events when the park is occasionally closed to anyone who hasn't bought a ticket.
There are tarmacked car parks available in Clumber Park but actually you can park just about anywhere. In 2007 the parking charges are £4.50 for a car or motorcycle which seems a tad steep to me. Motorhomes and caravans are more. Entrance to the kitchen garden is another £2 for adults. The park is closed on 18 August and 25 December each year but open at all other times. The Kitchen Garden is open 31 March - 30 September 2007.