Referred to as “The Dukeries” the area contained four ducal seats. Namely Worksop Manor; Welbeck Abbey; Thoresby Hall; and Clumber House. Also a fifth large country house was Rufford Abbey.

Chapman’s map, dated 1774 shows the layout of the estates.

Clumber House was built between 1760 and 1772 by Stephen Wright for Henry Fiennes Pelham Clinton, the 2 nd Duke of Newcastle under Lyne, and was situated in the park which John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne had created for Queen Anne, after receiving a licence in 1707 to enclose part of Sherwood Forest. This was a classical building of white freestone flanked by a square wing at each corner, with the central portion, which faced the lake, containing a light Ionic colonnade. The core of the house was the original ducal hunting lodge which had previously existed on the site. 4,000 acres of barren heath were landscaped into one of the most beautiful private parks in England, complete with a large man-made lake.