Nuffield Place, National Trust Property

Today I still felt in 'Holiday Mode', so I went to visit one of the nearby National Trust properties with a friend.

Nuffield Place was only acquired by the National Trust 2 years ago, so I had not yet visited it. The house was owned by Lord Nuffield, originally William Morris (not the artist, the OTHER William Morris). Morris was the founder of the Morris Motor Company and one of the greatest philanthropists of the 20th century. Although he was exceedingly wealthy, he came from a humble background and continued to live a relatively frugal lifestyle and gave away much of his vast fortune to good causes, particularly medical research. When he died in 1963 he bequeathed the house to Nuffield College in Oxford and stated in his will that the house was to be kept as he had left it, resulting in a 'time capsule' of early 20th century life. In the intervening years it was under the custodianship of a small charity and only open to the public a few days a year.

Now that the National Trust own it they are gradually doing essential restoration of both the house and the grounds. Although much of the woods and land surrounding the house is not owned by the Trust, there are public footpaths through them, and they are known for both the bluebells in the spring and the vibrant colours in the autumn.

Although the weather was not ideal, the rain stayed away until just as we were leaving, so we were able to enjoy both the house and the gardens and of course the requisite afternoon tea, complete with scones and clotted cream. I definitely think that Nuffield Place is now on my list of favourite National Trust properties to visit!

For more interesting information and interior pictures, click on this link to an article from the Independent:

http://www.independent.co.uk/property/interiors/the-original-morris-manor-nuffield-place-and-the-remarkable-history-of-its-gadgetobsessed-philanthropist-owner-8752606.html