THE WOOLAVINGTON COLLECTION

The chief distinction of Cottesbrooke Hall, apart from its fine architecture, is the superb collection of sporting art which is known as the Woolavington Collection. This was formed principally at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century by James Buchanan, afterwards Lord Woolavington and great grandfather of the present owner, Alastair Macdonald-Buchanan.

It was originally assembled at Lavington Park near Petworth in Sussex, the house he bought in 1903.

Lord Woolavington, Scotch whisky blender and philanthropist, was a very successful racehorse breeder and owner, winning the Derby twice in 1922 and 1926. He enjoyed everything to do with horses.

After Lord Woolavington’s death, his daughter, Catherine and her husband, Reggie, came to live at Cottesbrooke Hall in 1937.

The Collection, which was added to by Catherine and Reggie and their son John, is thought to be the finest of its type in Europe, only surpassed by the Mellon Collection, Philadelphia, USA.

Undoubtedly, Lord Woolavington had a fine and discerning eye for sporting art and chose paintings and bronzes which represent the very best of their type, but he also collected fine furniture and porcelain.

The collection contains work by the greatest names in sporting art including Stubbs, Marshall, Ferneley, Herring, Agasse, Landseer and Munnings, as well as fine portraits by artists such as Devis, Raeburn, Ramsay, Zoffany, and de Laszlo.