Fourteen of us, in six Morgans and a tin top, met at Nuffield Place on 20th August for guided tours of the house and an opportunity to explore the gardens.
The house was home to William George Morris – later Lord Nuffield – for thirty years, until his death in 1963, when it was bequeathed with all its furniture and personal belongings to the Nuffield College. It was later transferred to the National Trust in 2012 and remains largely unchanged, retaining all its original features, fixtures, fittings, and personal belongings.
We all enjoyed very informative tours led by highly knowledgeable and helpful guides, and we now have a better understanding of the scale of Lord Nuffield’s industrial achievements and philanthropy. Remember that if you see the word Nuffield linked to any educational or health enterprise worldwide, it can only have originated from Lord Nuffield’s benevolent activities.
Of particular interest to all DIY Morgan owners was the sight of his mini workshop tucked away in his bedroom wardrobe. Every home should have one!
The visit was rounded off with a light lunch in the ‘Naughty Corner' of the nearby Maker Space café and workshop, which is very well worth calling in to if visiting Nuffield Place or en route from Henley to Wallingford.
We were joined by OxMOG member Anita Lightstone, who, besides volunteering at Nuffield Place, is also the proud owner of a 1955 Morgan Plus 4 4-seater, which she parked alongside ours. It was through meeting Anita at this year’s Pangbourne College Classic Car Show that this visit was organised and took shape, so thanks to Steve and Anita for arranging this engaging visit.
