
Our history
Discover the ‘spirit of Shuttleworth’
Explore our timeline below for key milestones in the history of Shuttleworth.
Keen to learn more? Why not join us for one of our Collection hangar guided tours, or for a guided tour of Shuttleworth House? Check our events calendar for available dates.
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1820s
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The Swiss Garden is created
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.
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1842
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Clayton & Shuttleworth Ltd
Clayton & Shuttleworth is established as a private company by Nathaniel Clayton and Joseph Shuttleworth (Richard Shuttleworth's grandfather).
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1845
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Portable steam engine
Clayton & Shuttleworth are one of the first companies to manufacture a portable steam engine for agricultural use.
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1853
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First prize
Clayton & Shuttleworth win first prize for portable engines at the Royal Agricultural Society Show.
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1870s
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Overseas expansion
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.
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1872
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Joseph Shuttleworth purchases the Old Warden Estate
and further develops Swiss Garden over the coming years, adding the Grotto and artificial rock cascades.
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1875
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The Mansion House
Joseph Shuttleworth designs and builds the mansion house with famed Victorian architect Henry Clutton.
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1883
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Frank Shuttleworth
Richard’s father inherits the Old Warden Estate.
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1902
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A wedding
Frank Shuttleworth marries Dorothy Clotilda Lang.
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1909
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Our founder is born
Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth is born on 16 July.
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Blériot crosses the Channel
Louis Blériot becomes the first person to fly across the English Channel on 25 July.
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1913
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Frank Shuttleworth dies
When Richard is aged 3 his father, Frank Shuttleworth, dies aged 67. The Estate is left in trust to Richard.
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1914
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WWI begins
The First World War begins ushering in a new era of aviation.
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A convalescent home
Shuttleworth House is opened as a convalescent home.
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1916
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Aircraft for the war effort
Clayton & Shuttleworth begin building aircraft for the war effort.
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1928
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The Collection is started
Richard Shuttleworth acquires his first historic car, the 1898 Panhard et Levassor, and takes part in his first London to Brighton run.
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Clayton & Shuttleworth closes
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1930
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Richard is commissioned
Richard passes his Sandhurst examination and is gazetted as a Second Lieutenant.
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1931
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A racer is born
Richard competes in his first motor race at Brooklands under the name R. Ormonde, later competing at the Belfast TT.
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A passion for engineering
Richard forms ‘The Warden Engineering Company.’
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1932
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Adding to the Collection
Richard purchases the de Havilland DH.60X Moth G-EBWD and the Comper Swift G-ABWE.
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Richard inherits the Shuttleworth Estate
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1933
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The Viceroy Challenge Trophy
Richard Shuttleworth flies his Comper Swift G-ABPY 6,000 miles to India in 12 days ready to participate in the Viceroy Challenge Trophy.
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1934
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Another aircraft purchase
Richard purchases the Desoutter G-AAPS, regularly flying to the Bugatti factory in Molsheim to purchase spare parts for racing.
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Comet wins the England-Melbourne Air Race
The de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS wins the MacRobertson Air Race.
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1935
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More purchases
Richard purchases two more Desoutters, a Comper Swift and a de Havilland DH.84 Dragon.
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A Grand Prix win
Richard wins the Brighton Speed Trials and the Donington Grand Prix.
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1936
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Blériot XI and Deperdussin acquisition
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.
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A racing career ends
Richard makes his final car race appearance and is seriously injured in the South Africa Grand Prix, ending his racing career.
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1939
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WWII begins
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Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Richard is admitted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
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1940
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A convalescent home once more
Shuttleworth House is opened as a convalescent home.
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RAF Benson transfer
After being made a Pilot Officer, Richard is transferred to RAF Benson to be trained as a fully operational pilot.
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Unexpected death
Richard dies unexpectedly during a training exercise flying a Fairey Battle, aged 31.
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1942
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Supermarine Spitfire Vc AR501
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.
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1944
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The Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust
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.
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1946
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Shuttleworth College opens
The Shuttleworth Agricultural College opens with six students.
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1950
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Shuttleworth's first public event
The Veteran Car Club Rally & Exhibition marks the first public event at Shuttleworth. The trophy that Dorothy Shuttleworth donated is still competed for today.
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1961
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Supermarine and Hawker acquisition
The Shuttleworth Collection acquires the Supermarine Spitfire Vc AR501 and the Hawker Sea Hurricane Ib Z7015.
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1963
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The Shuttleworth Collection opens to the public
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Dorothy is awarded an OBE
Dorothy Shuttleworth receives an OBE for services to agricultural education.
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1964
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Shuttleworth presents its first air show
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1965
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de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS acquisition
Shuttleworth acquires the de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS.
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'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'
is released, featuring the Collection’s Bristol Boxkite and Avro Triplane.
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Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society
The Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS) is set up as a registered charity to support the Shuttleworth Collection.
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1968
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Battle of Britain
The Collection’s Supermarine Spitfire Vc AR501 and Hawker Sea Hurricane Ib Z7015 appear in the film, ‘Battle of Britain’.
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1971
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An astronaut visits Shuttleworth
Astronaut Neil Armstrong visits the Shuttleworth Collection.
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1979
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A royal visit
HRH King Charles visits the Shuttleworth Collection.
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1980s
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Swiss Garden reopens
After years of neglect, Swiss Garden is restored and reopens to the public.
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1989
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Airfield Volunteer Fire Service
The Airfield Volunteer Fire Service (AVFS) starts out as a small fire crew, providing initial emergency response at Shuttleworth.
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1992
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Friends of the Swiss Garden
The Friends of the Swiss Garden is founded to support, promote and raise funds for Swiss Garden.
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1994
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The AVFS is formally established
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2012
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£2.8m awarded to Swiss Garden
The Heritage Lottery Fund award Shuttleworth £2.8m to repair and conserve Swiss Garden.
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2014
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King’s Award for Voluntary Service for the SVAS
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”.
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2015
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King’s Award for Voluntary Service for AVFS
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”.
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Shuttleworth House is officially opened to the public
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2016
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Three Edwardian buses are added to the vehicle fleet
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2019
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Brand-new purpose-built fire station
The Shuttleworth Trust build a brand-new purpose-built fire station for the AVFS as part of a new development of hangars.
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2020
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An RHS Partner Garden
Swiss Garden is awarded RHS Partner Garden status.
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2022
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Award-winning wedding venue
Shuttleworth is named Best Wedding Venue in Herts and Beds by Muddy Stilettos.
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Three donations from BAE Systems
BAE Systems donate the Avro Anson, Blackburn B2 and de Havilland DH.60 Moth to the Collection.
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2023
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The Sandford Award for Heritage Education
Shuttleworth is awarded The Sandford Award for Heritage Education.
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2024
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Shuttleworth celebrates 60 years of air shows
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200 years of the Swiss Garden
Shuttleworth celebrates 200 years of the Swiss Garden.
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150KWP photovoltaic solar power generation system
Shuttleworth invest in the installation of a 150KWP photovoltaic solar power generation system across several of the hangar roofs.
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2025
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‘Antiques Roadshow’ comes to Shuttleworth
Shuttleworth hosts BBC One’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’.
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Richard and Dorothy’s direct family remain closely involved as trustees of The Shuttleworth Trust.
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