Shugborough Estate

About the museum

A moated manor house for the Bishop of Lichfield stood at Shugborough in the Middle Ages. In 1695 William Anson demolished it and built a brick house that forms the core of the present mansion. The estate owes its character to his grandsons, Thomas and George Anson, in the 18th century. George was a naval officer who sailed round the world and captured a Spanish treasure galleon, and the silver he brought home paid for Thomas to remake the house and grounds.

Thomas Anson travelled widely on the Grand Tour, visiting Greece, Asia Minor and Egypt, and he filled the park with monuments and follies. With the architect Thomas Wright and later others he created one of the most outstanding Rococo estates in Britain and one of the earliest to use the Greek Revival style, including the Chinese House of 1747.

In 1960 the photographer Patrick Lichfield inherited the estate from his grandfather, and he lived in a private apartment in the house until his death in 2005. Today the National Trust looks after the mansion, with its collection, servants' quarters and the Lichfield apartments, as well as the walled garden, arboretum, parkland and the working Park Farm.

Highlights

• Georgian mansion with the Anson family collection
• Servants' quarters showing life below stairs
• Apartments of the photographer Patrick Lichfield
• Walled garden, arboretum and Europe's widest yew tree
• Monuments and follies across 900 acres of parkland
• Park Farm with Southdown sheep and Longhorn cattle

Permanent exhibitions

• The mansion and the Anson collection – Rooms of the Georgian house with objects that tell the story of Thomas and George Anson, including the circumnavigation of the world and the capture of a Spanish treasure galleon.
• Servants' quarters – Rooms that show life below stairs at Shugborough.
• The Lichfield apartments – The former private apartment of the fashion photographer Patrick Lichfield, the 5th Earl of Lichfield, with his camera equipment.

Operated by

National Trust

Admission & discounts

Prices are for the whole property (house, gardens and park) without Gift Aid; with Gift Aid the adult price is 19.80 pounds. A cheaper park and gardens ticket is available. National Trust members do not pay admission.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The estate has accessible parking, adapted toilets, a Changing Places facility, step-free routes, induction loops and a stairclimber. Five all-terrain Trampers can be borrowed and should be booked in advance, and wheelchairs and a buggy service from the car park to the mansion are provided. Some areas have steps, uneven ground and narrow corridors. A quiet sensory space, the Zen Den, is in the Panelled Room by the servants' quarters, and sensory stations with ear defenders are in the mansion and servants' quarters. Carers go free.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

The estate offers family trails and the chance to visit the animals at Park Farm. There are toilets and baby changing facilities at Park Farm, the plant centre and the Midden Yard, and facilities to warm baby food in both cafes. Pushchairs are welcome across the estate but must stay outside the mansion buildings. Balance bikes, bikes with stabilisers and scooters are welcome. The old Explorers Wood play area closed in 2024, and a new play area is planned. Children under 5 are admitted free.

Getting there & parking

The estate is signposted from M6 exit 13 and lies 6 miles east of Stafford on the A513, with the entrance at Milford. Entry is only through the Milford Gates because of a one-way system, and not through the White Barn Farm gate. The sat nav grid location for the entrance is 52.789294, -2.033064.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

The Mansion Tea-room in the Midden Yard serves breakfast, soups, jacket potatoes, sandwiches and cakes and is dog-free; Park Farm Cafe is dog-friendly. The mansion shop, a second-hand bookshop in the Midden Yard and a plants and gifts centre by the car park are on site. Seasonal pop-up offers include an ice-cream parlour and a drinks hatch.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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