Mansfield & Worksop

Mansfield and Worksop are the two working market towns that border the "Dukeries" — the belt of former ducal estates across north Nottinghamshire that once made this one of the most aristocratic corners of England.

The name comes from the dukes who held estates here: Clumber Park (Newcastle), Welbeck Abbey (Portland), Thoresby (Manvers) and Worksop Manor (Norfolk) among them. Clumber Park's estate survives largely intact under the National Trust, minus the demolished main house, and its lime-tree avenue and lake are worth the visit alone. Rufford Abbey, on the Mansfield side, adds a ruined Cistercian abbey and country park to the mix.

Mansfield or Worksop?

Mansfield is the larger of the two, with more accommodation choice and better rail links (direct trains to Nottingham). Worksop sits closer to Clumber Park and Welbeck, and to the Chesterfield Canal, so it's the better pick if the Dukeries estates are the main reason for the trip rather than the towns themselves.

Where to Stay in Mansfield & Worksop

• 
  Travelodge MansfieldOn the edge of Mansfield, towards Sutton-in-Ashfield.
• 
  Mansfield Lodge HotelOn Woodhouse Road, Mansfield.
• 
  Premier Inn WorksopOn the edge of Worksop, over a mile from the train station.
• 
  Travelodge WorksopClose to the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre.
• 
  Muthu Clumber Park Hotel & SpaOn the edge of Worksop, right by Clumber Park.
• Midlands HotelOn Station Road, Mansfield, near the railway station.
• Lion HotelOn Bridge Street, in Worksop town centre.
• Lock Keeper by Marstons InnsPub-inn by the Chesterfield Canal, Worksop.

Getting around the estates

The Dukeries estates are spread out and not well connected by public transport, so a car is genuinely useful here — Clumber Park, Welbeck and Rufford Abbey are each a short drive apart rather than walkable from any one base.