Rare botanical collection on display at Burton Constable

Burton Constable Hall is showcasing the exhibition, The Curiosity Garden, from March 28 to November 1, 2026.

The exhibition centres on its historic Herbarium, created between the 1740s and 1760s.

Digitised Herbarium Specimen (Image: Burton Constable Foundation)

Sarah Burton, curator at Burton Constable Hall, said: “Very few people have seen the Herbarium like this.

Herbarium Display Cabinets (Image: Burton Constable Foundation)

“Although the specimens are over two centuries old, they’ve been preserved with great care, and you can still see the detail in the plants as well as the handwritten notes recorded alongside them, showing how carefully each plant was observed and documented.”

The Herbarium is one of the largest and most complete collections of its kind in Britain outside London, featuring carefully preserved plant specimens from the 18th century.

Interior view of the exhibition (Image: Burton Constable Foundation)

It also highlights a period of growing botanical interest when specimens were shared and studied through national and international networks.

Curator with Herbarium Volume (Image: Burton Constable Foundation)

The exhibition is part of the Yorkshire Country House Partnership’s 2026 theme, Plants, Trees and the Country House.

As part of the project, the Herbarium has been fully digitised to ensure long-term preservation and wider access.

For more information, visit the Burton Constable Hall website.