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A tunnel at Welbeck (c) The Portland Collection, Harley Gallery
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The 5th Duke of Portland (c) The Portland Collection, Harley Gallery
Exhibition
The 5th Duke of Portland // Tunnel Vision
14 May 2022 – 31 Dec 2024
Regular hours
- Saturday
- 10:00 – 17:00
- Sunday
- 10:00 – 16:00
- Tuesday
- 10:00 – 17:00
- Wednesday
- 10:00 – 17:00
- Thursday
- 10:00 – 17:00
- Friday
- 10:00 – 17:00
Free admission
Address
- The Harley Gallery, Welbeck Estate
- nr Worksop, Nottinghamshire
- Nottinghamshire
- S80 3LW
- United Kingdom
Revealing the life of the 5th Duke of Portland beyond his famous tunnels - including lost love, amazing art collecting, and the creation of the landscape we see today at Welbeck.
About
An exhibition that reveals the mysterious world of the 5th Duke of Portland.
The 5th Duke was an unusual figure in Victorian high society, and many myths and legends have grown around his memory.
These include always wearing 3 pairs of socks, only eating roast chicken, and communicating exclusively by letter through his bedroom door.
The actual truth behind the stories is uncertain but it seems that the famously private 5th Duke was not a conventional Victorian aristocrat. He is best known for his building projects, which include one of the world’s largest riding schools, 2¾ miles of tunnels, a subterranean ballroom and an underground donkey stable.
The 5th Duke of Portland was a keen art collector, and The Portland Collection remains home to many pieces that he chose. He bought more than 50 paintings, including works by Reynolds and Mytens, over 70 miniatures and an extraordinary array of ceramics.
This exhibition includes the architectural models for some of the Duke’s building projects, portraits of his lost love – the opera singer Adelaide Kemble, the Duke’s death mask, and his iconic double-letterbox bedroom door.
