Thoresby Park adds disc golf and a new play park to its Dukeries estate

Thoresby Park has been making the most of 2026. The historic estate in the Dukeries, on the edge of Sherwood Forest, has added a brand-new adventure play park and an 18-hole disc golf course, giving families even more reasons to visit one of Nottinghamshire's great country estates.

The new play park opened in July, designed to encourage imaginative and active play with climbing equipment, slides and interactive features. It forms part of what the estate calls its ongoing investment in the visitor experience. Alongside it, the new disc golf course is suitable for all ages, with discs available to hire from the Visitor Centre for £3 plus a £2 course fee.

The estate has a long and dramatic history. It has been linked with the Pierrepont family for more than 400 years. In 1633 Robert Pierrepont, Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull, bought the estate for his second son William, and during the Civil War the family was split, with members on both the Royalist and Parliamentarian sides. Later generations built the lake and extended the park, and the estate eventually passed to Charles Pierrepont, a retired naval officer who became the first Earl Manvers.

The grand Thoresby Hall that stands today was designed by Anthony Salvin for Sydney Pierrepont, 3rd Earl Manvers, and built between 1864 and 1871. It is Grade I listed, and the park is on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. The hall is now a hotel, while the park and courtyard are open to visitors.

There is plenty to do. Thoresby Courtyard is home to independent retailers and artisan makers, along with the Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum. Visitors can explore miles of parkland, enjoy the riverside picnic area or try Nordic walking and falconry. Craft, ceramic and cyanotype workshops run throughout the year, and the Halloween Trail runs until 1 November.

For a longer stay, the estate offers holiday homes. Lake View, in the estate village of Budby, has been recently renovated, sleeps up to six and has substantial gardens with extensive countryside views. Butterfields and Century House are also available to book.

The park is open daily from 9am to 5pm, with all-day parking at £5.

Events, workshops and holiday homes are listed on the Thoresby Park website.