Visiting Welbeck Abbey
Welbeck Abbey’s State Room guided tours are open to the public for 28 days during August. These walking tours last approximately an hour and a half.
Tickets are available in advance through Ticketline.
Please park in the main car park and check in for your tour at The Harley Gallery. Tour visitors will be collected from The Harley Gallery by coach and taken, through the 5th Duke of Portland’s Victorian village, to Welbeck Abbey. The coach will depart promptly, please arrange to arrive at The Harley Gallery in good time for your tour.
No photography is permitted during the tour. Tour ticket holders will receive a 20% discount for our full colour, richly illustrated publication ‘Treasures of The Portland Collection’.
Visitors are advised that there are no toilet facilities on the tour; toilets, refreshments, shopping and exhibitions can be found at The Harley Gallery.
The Welbeck Abbey State Room Tours are managed by The Harley Gallery, part of The Harley Foundation which was set up by Ivy, Duchess of Portland in 1977.
The Tour
The Welbeck Abbey State Room Tours last approximately an hour and a half, we advise that visitors wear comfortable footwear as you will be on your feet for a long time. We ask that stiletto shoes are not worn in the house.
The tour takes in the grand State Rooms, the Abbey’s reception rooms which have been host to royalty, aristocracy and statesmen.
The State Rooms are decorated with objects and artworks from The Portland Collection; an internationally significant collection which includes one of the largest privately owned collections of British portraits. Works on show at Welbeck Abbey include pieces by Sir Peter Lely, John Wootton and Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Visitors can also enjoy Welbeck Abbey’s architecture which has evolved over the generations. The tour includes the Countess of Oxford’s soaring plasterwork ceiling in the Gothic Hall, and the Duchess of Portland’s State Rooms remodelled by Sir Ernest George, c. 1905.
Please be aware only small handbags are permitted on the tour.
Stair-free tours
The Welbeck Abbey State Room Tours contain a number of steps and staircases.
Our stair-free tours take in the State Rooms on the ground floor and offer more time to view each room. Stair-free tours take place at 12noon on Mondays during August. Please call The Harley Gallery directly to make your booking on 01909 501 700, or email shop@harleygallery.co.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I receive confirmation of my booking?
You will be posted a ticket, which will reach you at least 2 days before your tour. If you book your tickets 5 days or less before your tour, you will not be posted a ticket but The Harley Gallery will be notified and will be expecting you.
Will I see any of the underground rooms?
No, the State Room tour does not include any of Welbeck’s underground rooms or tunnels.
Can I drive directly to Welbeck Abbey?
Please do not drive directly to Welbeck Abbey. Visitors are asked to park in the main car park by The Harley Gallery and proceed to the Abbey by coach. The coach journey includes information from your guide to introduce the tour, and to discuss the Victorian buildings that you will see on your way to the Abbey.
Why is the house only open for a few days during the summer?
Welbeck Abbey is a private family home.
Can special interest groups visit Welbeck Abbey?
Please contact The Harley Gallery directly on 01909 501 700 to discuss group tours, or email ssherrit@harleygallery.co.uk.
Can I take photographs of the Abbey and in the State Rooms?
No photography is not permitted during the tour. Tour ticket holders will receive a 20% discount for our full colour, richly illustrated publication ‘Treasures of the Portland Collection’.
What do I do if I miss the coach?
We regret that tickets are not refundable or transferable. Please arrange to be at The Harley Gallery in good time for your tour.
Can I take my handbag on the tour?
You may take small handbags on the tour but we regret that large bags are not permitted. If in doubt, please ask your guide when you check in.
What time should I arrange my transport for?
The tour will last approximately an hour and a half.
We advise that you allow plenty of time for your tour. Please arrive in good time, as latecomers cannot join the tour after it has left The Harley Gallery.
We recommend booking your return travel at least 2 hours after the start time for your tour, in case of unforeseen delays.
I have booked tickets but now cannot attend. What should I do?
Tickets are non-refundable. However, if you would like to give your tickets to a friend or family member, we are happy to change the names on your booking. Please call 01909 501 700 to do so.
