St. Anthony's Well
Sightseeing attraction | Mitcheldean | England | United Kingdom
Wedding venue in Nottinghamshire
The "Hodsock Priory" in Worksop, England, is an impressive country house in the county of Nottinghamshire, which, despite its name, was never actually a monastery. It is located in an idyllic landscape, about four miles north of Worksop and one mile south of Blyth, and is best known for its magnificent gardens, which attract visitors, especially in spring, with an overwhelming display of snowdrops. The property, which now serves as a venue for weddings and special events, has a rich history dating back to the Bronze Age and offers a fascinating insight into England's past, as well as the changing owner families that have shaped it over centuries.
Historic manor house in England
The origins of Hodsock Priory go back a long way: Already mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Odesach", where a certain Wulfsi owned two carucates of land – about 240 acres. Archaeological finds in the gardens confirm that the area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, with traces of Roman and Saxon activities. From the mid-12th century, the property belonged for over 200 years to the Cressey family, who were so influential that they received kings such as Henry II, John, and Edward I – a sign of their high social status. In the early 15th century, Hodsock passed into the ownership of the Clifton family, who held it for 14 generations until 1765. During the Clifton era, the house was not the main residence of the family, and after a heavy fine for their support of the Royalists in the Civil War, it fell into disrepair and was at times only used as a large farmhouse.
Visit gardens in Nottinghamshire
In 1765, Sir Gervase Clifton sold Hodsock Priory to William and his son Charles Mellish, who already owned the nearby Blyth Hall – the only sale of the property in its long history. After Charles' death in 1797, his son Henry Francis Mellish inherited both Blyth Hall and Hodsock. Henry, known for his extravagance and gambling addiction, had to sell Blyth Hall in 1806 to settle debts, making Hodsock the family's main residence. After his childless death in 1817, the property passed to his sister Anne Chambers, who carried out extensive renovations. She commissioned the renowned architect Ambrose Poynter to add a new south wing and an Italian terrace in the Gothic Revival style, giving the house a touch of elegance and modernity.
Experience snowdrops in spring
After Anne Chambers' death in 1855, her cousin William Leigh Mellish inherited the property. When he died in 1864, his wife Margaret took control and had further extensions and alterations carried out by the architect George Devey in 1873. After her death in 1901, Hodsock passed to her only surviving son, Henry Mellish, a bachelor with a passion for meteorology and shooting, who lived there with his two unmarried sisters Agnes and Evelyn. Following his death in 1927 and the passing of the last Mellish sister in 1935, the property was inherited by a cousin, Mary Constance Mayhew, who moved in in 1942 and sold parts of the land and furnishings. In 1966, her nephew, Sir Andrew Buchanan, 5th Baronet, took over the property, and the Buchanan family has owned it ever since.
Family estate in Nottinghamshire
Hodsock Priory is situated in the center of an 800-acre estate, which has been in family ownership since 1765. The agricultural use includes 700 acres where carrots, wheat, barley, and sugar beets are grown, while 100 acres are wooded. A special feature is a reservoir built in 1997 with a capacity of 20 million gallons, which harmoniously blends into the landscape and attracts wild birds such as oystercatchers, grebes, and Brent geese. The wildlife on the estate is diverse, with birds such as little owls, kingfishers, cuckoos, green woodpeckers, and robins, as well as mammals such as hedgehogs, foxes, moles, and hares.
The gardens of Hodsock Priory are the true highlight of the attraction, especially the five acres of formal gardens and the twelve acres of woods, famous for their snowdrop displays in spring. These are part of the National Collection and attract numerous visitors each year to admire the white carpets of blossoms. The gardens were established in 1967 and feature not only snowdrops but also other early bloomers such as crocuses, daffodils, and winter aconites, as well as an Italian terrace that provides an impressive setting for events. The house itself is not open to the public, but the gardens and woods were previously open seasonally, especially in February for the snowdrop season, although this tradition was discontinued after the retirement of Sir Andrew and Lady Buchanan.
Today, Hodsock Priory is primarily an exclusive venue for weddings and special occasions, blending its historic atmosphere with modern comfort. The Tudor gatehouse entrance from the early 16th century, built by Sir Gervase Clifton to welcome King Henry VIII, is one of the first things visitors see, adding a fairytale touch to the property. The combination of its long history, magnificent gardens, and seclusion amidst 800 acres of land makes Hodsock Priory a unique experience.
