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• I came across Newstead by accident while travelling to Nottingham one day. This is a truely hidden gem. The house was much bigger then I first thought, and for a fee of only £3.50 entrance to the house a real bargain. The paintings, buildings and all the rooms had hidden secrets. The staff unlike some places were a real joy, with their knowledge and clear joy of working at Newstead very obvious. I found that every member of staff knew something different about this wonderful buiding which felt very homely. I expected to be in the house for about an hour, but spent nearly 3 hours, and could have spent longer. The gardens were also another unexpected find, they had many different areas to expore, it would have been fantastic to have spent the day with a picnic, as there was so many places to sit and enjoy the views. The artist in me was truely spoilt, and I did get some wonderful photographs. There are too many areas to tell you about but one that for me stood out, was the japanese garden. This was I was told listed, just like a building. It is a real surprise and joy to see its many hidden facets, clearly a work of art in its own right. The outdoor guides were just as knowledgeable as the indoor guides, and just as nice. Sadly I have been told that this wonderful hidden gem called Newstead may soon become just that hidden. Newstead belongs to Nottingham city council and due to cut backs it may cease to be open to the public. This year has seen the house open days, cut from 7 to 4 days only. There has been talk it might be closed next year, this would be a real loss of one of our treasures, so don't be like me and find this place by accident make the journey and discover this hidden gem for yourselves before its too late....4