Sale of Newstead
Byron's sister Augusta
Colonel Wildman wearing Peninsular/Waterloo medal
by James Lonsdale
1816
By Ralph Lloyd-Jones
"one happy winter snowed in"
Byron was never any good with money and at first would not even take any payment for his literary success. He spent one happy winter snowed in at Newstead with his beloved half-sister Augusta Leigh (1783 – 1851), but the large, run-down, expensive house was more of a liability than an asset, so he reluctantly tried to sell it.
"paid an enormous £100,000"
Despite several attempted sales, the Abbey was not finally purchased until 1816 when an old schoolfriend of Byron’s, Colonel Thomas Wildman (1787 – 1859) paid an enormous £100,000 - far more than the house and estate were really worth. It was Wildman who did much of the decorating that we see in Newstead to this day.
Back to Newstead and Hucknall 1811-1816
Forward to Abroad and Return 1816-1823