• Dates and times: Latest programme shown below, with meetings starting at 7.30pm.
• Venue: St Leonard's Community Centre, 4 Bramcote Lane, Nottingham, NG8 2ND.
• Entry: Entry is free for Society members and non-members are welcome, paying £3 at the door.
• Parking: Car park to the rear of the Community Centre.
• Nearest bus stops: NCT no. 30 to the Admiral Rodney, or trentbarton the two to Birdsall Avenue.

2025-2026 Programme

• Wed 23 April 2025
  AGM followed by David Skillen
  "Knitters, Nailers and Traitors." Belper in the industrial revolution.
• Wed 24 September 2025
  Andrew Hamilton
  "Wollaton Cottages Survey." An update on the recent research and new discoveries.
• Wed 22 October 2025
  Yvonne Morley-Chisholm
  "A Voice for King Richard III: the search for the real man behind the myths." See and hear King Richard III speaking his own words and effectively brought back to life.
• Wed 26 November 2025
  James Wright
  "Historic Building Mythbusting in Nottinghamshire." An investigation into the underlying truths behind myths and romantic stories.
• Wed 28 January 2026
  Sharon Bennett Connolly
  "Heroines of the Medieval World." Turning the spotlight on amazing medieval women with strong ties to Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
• Wed 25 February 2026
  Karen Slade (Company of Artisans)
  "Medieval Tiles from Lenton Abbey & Beyond." Discovery, history and reconstruction.
• Wed 25 March 2026
  WHaCS members
  "Memories of Wollaton." Stories and recollections gathered over the course of the 2025 exhibition at the Wollaton Village Dovecote Museum.
• Wed 22 April 2026
  AGM followed by Anja Thompson-Rohde
  "Coins as the First Social Media." How messages contained in the portraits and symbols on coins acted in the past to spread news and propaganda.

For further details on each of the speakers and their topics, please see your copy of Wollaton Historical (issue no. 28, 2025), pages 26 & 27. You may also access those pages, along with additional bio information, through this link.

Now closed until Spring 2026... hope to see you then. Dates to be posted early 2026 so please watch this space!

Open 2.00pm to 4.30pm on the dates shown below.

FREE admission, donations welcomed (we receive no funding).

More information on the Wollaton Village Dovecote Museum is shown on our Dovecote page.

2025 - 2026 Programme

This year is the centenary of the sale of Wollaton Hall and Park, and the wider Estate. Whilst marking the end of the Willoughbys ownership in the area, we are delighted that Lord Middleton will once again return to Wollaton to open the Wollaton Village Dovecote Museum in May 2025. The main theme of displays this year will be life in Wollaton both before and after 1925.

• Sun 11 May*
  Grand Opening and unveiling of the Maureen Jones memorial bench by Lord Middleton.
• Sun 8 June*
  Displays continue
• Sat 5 July
  Wollaton Community Festival. Traditional games on the Dovecote lawn, inc. skittles, boules and jacks.
• Sun 13 July*
  Displays continue
• Sun 10 August*
  Displays continue
• Sat 13 & Sun 14 September*
  Heritage Open Days

*Free guided walk around the village at 3.15pm

Sometimes referred to as Wollaton’s "secret" Walled Garden, this 18th century kitchen garden sits within Wollaton Park and once supplied Wollaton Hall. The Wollaton Historical & Conservation Society is one of the voluntary organisations contributing to the restoration of this 4-acre, Grade II listed, walled garden. Known as the Wollaton Walled Garden Project, it truly is amazing watching the teams bring this garden and its associated buildings back to life!

Our website gives you some of the history behind the garden in this Wollaton Walled Garden Project article.

Walled Garden
(Photo by Russ Pearce)

Please do come and visit the Wollaton Walled Garden. Learn more about its history and witness the incredible restoration through either a guided tour or a special event.

Location

• Address: Wollaton Hall & Deer Park, Wollaton Road, Nottingham, NG8 2AE.
• Entrance: At what3words ///from.length.moon or use this location on Google Maps.
• Note 1: Not to be confused with the Formal Garden or Botanic Garden within Wollaton Park.
• Note 2: Access is through guided tours or special events only.

Guided Tours

• Tours: Guided tours take place every Thursday from late March to late October at 10.30am.
• Cost: £5 cash donation payable on entry, which goes towards the Wollaton Walled Garden restoration.
• Website: Book your place online at wollatonhall.org.uk/walled-garden-tours

Special Events 2025

• Spring Festival - more information
  Sat 26 & Sun 27 April (£1 entrance fee)
  Open 11.00am to 4.00pm
• Summer Festival - more information
  Sat 5 & Sun 6 July (£1 entrance fee)
  Open 11.00am to 4.00pm
• Heritage Open Days 
  Tues 16 & Thurs 18 September (FREE)
  Open 11.00am to 3.30pm
• Autumn Festival - more information
  Sat 4 & Sun 5 October (£2 entrance fee)
  Open 11.00am to 4.00pm

Walled Garden
(Photo by Russ Pearce)

Further details on the exciting Wollaton Walled Garden Project can be found at: friendsofwollatonpark.org.uk/walled-garden