Newstead is NOT in Nottingham, but as it is owned by the City Council I thought it appropriate to include it. It is located north of the city near Ravenshead on the road out to Mansfield.
The Abbey that is famous for its association with the poet Lord Byron was originally an Augustinian priory founded by Henry II in about 1170 It eventually came into the hands of the philanthropist Sir Julien Cahn, who later presented it to Nottingham Corporation in 1931.
The abbey and gardens are suffering from neglect and the ravages of time and they are in urgent need of very substantial funding to allow full restoration. It featured in the TV programme 'Restoration' and whilst it did not win, it is understood that world wide interest was stimulated and that this has attracted donations. For a building of national importance such as this is, I find it unbelievable that it has to rely on charity to survive.
