Our history

Lord Ongley - previous owner of Old Warden Estate - creates the Swiss Garden in the ‘Swiss Picturesque’ style, including the 13 listed features you see today.

Clayton & Shuttleworth is established as a private company by Nathaniel Clayton and Joseph Shuttleworth (Richard Shuttleworth's grandfather).

Clayton & Shuttleworth are one of the first companies to manufacture a portable steam engine for agricultural use.

Clayton & Shuttleworth win first prize for portable engines at the Royal Agricultural Society Show.

Clayton & Shuttleworth expands overseas to France, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine, as well as setting up agencies in Africa and South America, while the ‘Stamp End’ site in Lincolnshire employs over 2,000 people.

and further develops Swiss Garden over the coming years, adding the Grotto and artificial rock cascades.

Joseph Shuttleworth designs and builds the mansion house with famed Victorian architect Henry Clutton.

Richard’s father inherits the Old Warden Estate.

Frank Shuttleworth marries Dorothy Clotilda Lang.

Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth is born on 16 July.

Louis Blériot becomes the first person to fly across the English Channel on 25 July.

When Richard is aged 3 his father, Frank Shuttleworth, dies aged 67. The Estate is left in trust to Richard.

The First World War begins ushering in a new era of aviation.

Shuttleworth House is opened as a convalescent home.

Clayton & Shuttleworth begin building aircraft for the war effort.

Richard Shuttleworth acquires his first historic car, the 1898 Panhard et Levassor, and takes part in his first London to Brighton run.

Richard passes his Sandhurst examination and is gazetted as a Second Lieutenant.

Richard competes in his first motor race at Brooklands under the name R. Ormonde, later competing at the Belfast TT.

Richard forms ‘The Warden Engineering Company.’

Richard purchases the de Havilland DH.60X Moth G-EBWD and the Comper Swift G-ABWE.

Richard Shuttleworth flies his Comper Swift G-ABPY 6,000 miles to India in 12 days ready to participate in the Viceroy Challenge Trophy.

Richard purchases the Desoutter G-AAPS, regularly flying to the Bugatti factory in Molsheim to purchase spare parts for racing.

The de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS wins the MacRobertson Air Race.

Richard purchases two more Desoutters, a Comper Swift and a de Havilland DH.84 Dragon.

Richard wins the Brighton Speed Trials and the Donington Grand Prix.

Richard acquires the Blériot XI and Deperdussin. Receiving the Blériot in a derelict state, Richard restores the aircraft to fly at the Royal Aero Society Garden Party later that year.

Richard makes his final car race appearance and is seriously injured in the South Africa Grand Prix, ending his racing career.

Richard is admitted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Shuttleworth House is opened as a convalescent home.

After being made a Pilot Officer, Richard is transferred to RAF Benson to be trained as a fully operational pilot.

Richard dies unexpectedly during a training exercise flying a Fairey Battle, aged 31.

The Supermarine Spitfire Vc AR501 - later acquired by the Shuttleworth Collection in 1961 - escorts Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress ‘Memphis Belle’ during a bombing mission.

Dorothy turns the estate into The Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust. The Trust is set up to promote the training and discovery in the knowledge and skills of agriculture and of aviation and automotive technology.

The Shuttleworth Agricultural College opens with six students.

The Veteran Car Club Rally & Exhibition marks the first public event at Shuttleworth. The trophy that Dorothy Shuttleworth donated is still competed for today.

The Shuttleworth Collection acquires the Supermarine Spitfire Vc AR501 and the Hawker Sea Hurricane Ib Z7015.

Dorothy Shuttleworth receives an OBE for services to agricultural education.

Shuttleworth acquires the de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS.

is released, featuring the Collection’s Bristol Boxkite and Avro Triplane.

The Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS) is set up as a registered charity to support the Shuttleworth Collection.

The Collection’s Supermarine Spitfire Vc AR501 and Hawker Sea Hurricane Ib Z7015 appear in the film, ‘Battle of Britain’.

Astronaut Neil Armstrong visits the Shuttleworth Collection.

HRH King Charles visits the Shuttleworth Collection.

After years of neglect, Swiss Garden is restored and reopens to the public.

The Airfield Volunteer Fire Service (AVFS) starts out as a small fire crew, providing initial emergency response at Shuttleworth.

The Friends of the Swiss Garden is founded to support, promote and raise funds for Swiss Garden.

The Heritage Lottery Fund award Shuttleworth £2.8m to repair and conserve Swiss Garden.

The SVAS receives the King’s Award for Voluntary Service for “Educating the public in the science, practice and history of aviation and motoring by supporting the charitable work of the Shuttleworth Collection”.

The AVFS received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service for “Providing and maintaining an emergency fire and rescue service for the public of Bedfordshire and protecting the world’s aviation heritage”.

The Shuttleworth Trust build a brand-new purpose-built fire station for the AVFS as part of a new development of hangars.

Swiss Garden is awarded RHS Partner Garden status.

Shuttleworth is named Best Wedding Venue in Herts and Beds by Muddy Stilettos.

BAE Systems donate the Avro Anson, Blackburn B2 and de Havilland DH.60 Moth to the Collection.

Shuttleworth is awarded The Sandford Award for Heritage Education.

Shuttleworth celebrates 200 years of the Swiss Garden.

Shuttleworth invest in the installation of a 150KWP photovoltaic solar power generation system across several of the hangar roofs. 

Shuttleworth hosts BBC One’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’.

Split flying displays are introduced for most of Shuttleworth's air shows, increasing Edwardian aircraft appearances.

Princess Charlotte Croÿ Twickel, Dorothy Shuttleworth's granddaughter and Richard's niece, visits Shuttleworth.

The Summerhouse in Swiss Garden is extensively refurbished following severe water damage, and a four-year project to restore the Clayton & Shuttleworth 4NHP single-cylinder portable engine (39959) is completed."

On 17 May 2026, Shuttleworth was delighted to celebrate 150 years of Shuttleworth House with a free event, offering visitors the chance to explore the House and its rich history.