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The house itself was advertised as a single lot together with acres of parkland. At the time the sale catalogue reported that 18, acres of land was for sale but Ball had already sold 7, acres privately. The house remained unsold and would eventually be withdrawn from sale along with surrounding land. Meanwhile, just a few miles away, quietly unnoticed, the magnificent Clumber House was demolished and lost forever.
The new owner was to be Henry Talbot de Vere Clifton. This individual was the successor owner of Lytham Hall in Lancashire but resided in Jamaica. He also owned the neglected Kildalton Castle on Islay in Scotland. According to legend he lived an extravagant lifestyle far beyond his means. Clifton owned a yacht, had permanent suites at The Ritz and The Dorchester and spent lavishly on racehorses.
He was at Oxford at the same time as the writer Evelyn Waugh and there is speculation that the character of Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited was based on him. He certainly had no intention of living in the house and did not appear interested in letting the property. A caretaker was left in the house but, with no maintenance since the Savile days, its upkeep was minimal. Whatever his intentions, fate was to deal a cruel hand for both Clifton and Rufford Abbey.
While Clifton spent his days in sunnier climes he might have forgotten that there was a war on. Within weeks Rufford was requisitioned by the War Office and would become home to the 6 th Cavalry Brigade of the Leicestershire Yeomanry and the 4 th Battalion of the Coldstream Guards.
Churchill tanks would soon rumble over the estate and churn up the fine grassland where once King Edward VII dined on the lawns. Large areas of surrounding woodland would be cleared for war use. Huts would be built in the parkland to the west of the house and later become temporary shelter for Italian prisoners of war. Rufford, like many country houses, suffered at the hands of the army and its charges. One report suggested that the Italians ripped down silk brocade hangings to make into silk handbags for their girlfriends back home.
He started stripping the house of its panelling and doors, almost certainly preparation for demolition. Nottinghamshire County Council refused all requests to demolish Rufford but Clifton argued that the poor state of the building meant that the surrounding land was worthless.
A Building Preservation Order was served on the house but, with no solution, Clifton exercised his rights that required the enacting county council to purchase the building from him.
At this time in medieval England, abbeys were extremely vital institutions which became centres not only for religious life but also political and economic structures. Monks served in political roles as well as forming an important part of the wool trade in the north of England. An abbey was a lifeline of infrastructure in the local community as well as being the epicentre of activity.
Sadly, with such power wielded by the monks, so too were high levels of corruption and mismanagement of funds. The religious institutions of medieval England were thus strongholds of greed and lavish lifestyles in stark contrast to the spiritual life intended by the origins of such a community.
In , the English Pope Adrian IV gave his blessing to the abbey, leading to its considerable expansion into neighbouring villages. Sadly for the local people, this meant evictions in areas including Cratley, Grimston, Rufford and Inkersall. The development of a new village called Wellow was a construction designed to provide accommodation for some of those affected. Nevertheless, conflict did arise between the abbot and the local people who frequently clashed over the rights of land, particularly the acquisition of wood from the forest.
Meanwhile, the construction of the abbey was well underway and would continue to be built and expanded for decades to come.
Sadly, like many of the abbeys in the British Isles, Rufford was to experience a sad fate when Henry VIII instigated the Dissolution of the Monasteries, an act which began in and concluded in As part of this process, monasteries as well as convents, priories and friaries across Britain were disbanded and had their assets and incomes appropriated.
It was taken over by the army in and the Leicestershire Yeomanry, 6 th Cavalry Brigade were stationed here followed by the Coldstream Guards. About 20 army huts were built and these later housed Italian prisoners of war.
By the house was deteriorating and a trust was founded to try to save it. The house continued to fall into disrepair and in Nottinghamshire County Council decided to purchase the Abbey and approx.
In it was decided to demolish the upper floors, the 17 th century north wing and the 18 th century east wing. This was started but not finished and English Heritage eventually took responsibility for the remaining buildings. A park ranger service was set up in with a five year plan to improve the grounds, restore the lake and plant 10, trees. Rufford was now a designated Country Park.
Today visitors can still see much of the original monastery, the now roofless dormitory, the night stairs, the western wall of Cloister Walk, the vaulted dining room, and the Parlour. The country house kitchen is now the Savile Restaurant and the stable block houses the craft centre, tourist information centre and gift shop.
Visitors can walk around the extensive grounds, the formal gardens, woodlands and around the lake. I grew up right in between Rufford and Newstead Abbey; beautiful places and I still visit as often as I can.
Interesting article! Thanks for posting it. I'm curious as to why people think the "ghost" is Arabella's.
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