Welbeck Abbey, Former Premonstratensian monastery and country house in Nottinghamshire, England
Welbeck Abbey is a former monastery and country house in Nottinghamshire built around courtyards, with six large state rooms filled with paintings and historic furniture. The complex also includes modern facilities such as a gallery, farm shop, and café arranged around a paved courtyard, offering visitors access to parts of the estate.
The site began in 1140 as a monastery founded by Thomas de Cuckney for the Premonstratensian order and later became home to the Cavendish-Bentinck family. In the 19th century, the fifth Duke of Portland ordered the construction of underground rooms and tunnels beneath the park, including one of the largest riding houses in the world.
The estate takes its name from the white habits worn by the Premonstratensian canons who lived here for centuries before it became an aristocratic residence. Visitors today walk through rooms where generations of the Portland family arranged furniture and paintings, creating a setting that reflects their taste and connection to the land.
The estate sits on extensive grounds and requires a fair amount of walking between different buildings and the courtyard area. Many rooms and exhibitions are accessible by wheelchair through ramps and lifts, though some older parts of the building have steps and narrow passageways.
Beneath the park lie miles of tunnels and underground rooms built by the fifth Duke, including a huge ballroom with polished glass on the walls. The underground riding school was built so large that it still ranks among the most expansive in Europe and had its own lighting and ventilation system.
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