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The Burton Constable Foundation

Burton Constable, the home of the Constable family for over 700 years, is one of the most fascinating country houses to survive with its historic collections. This large Elizabethan mansion and its surrounding parkland is now a museum owned by the Burton Constable Foundation, a charity whose mission is to safeguard Burton Constable for future generations.

In order to secure Burton Constable’s long-term future, the Burton Constable Foundation was established in 1992, following negotiations between the Chichester-Constable family, the National Heritage Memorial Fund (which purchased the property and provided a generous endowment) and Leeds City Council (where the museum staff had many years of experience in looking after country houses). Burton Constable and its parkland now belong to the Burton Constable Foundation, although descendants of the family still own the surrounding agricultural estate and continue to occupy the south wing of the house.

Did you know?

The Burton Constable Whale is featured in Herman Melville's famous novel Moby Dick.

Today the Burton Constable Whale is nicknamed 'Constable Moby'

Over 80 different species of birds have been spotted at Burton Constable, from the smallest British bird, the Goldcrest, to large birds of prey such as Buzzards and Barn Owls

Afternoon tea was created by the Duchess of Bedford in the late 18th century. She invited friends to join her for an afternoon meal of small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, sweets and, of course, tea. The practice was so popular that it was quickly adopted by other social hostesses