Our history

1820s

1. 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.

1842

1. Clayton & Shuttleworth Ltd

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

1845

1. Portable steam engine

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

1853

1. First prize

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

1870s

1. 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.

1872

1. Joseph Shuttleworth purchases the Old Warden Estate

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

1875

1. The Mansion House

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

1883

1. Frank Shuttleworth

   Richard’s father inherits the Old Warden Estate.

1902

1. A wedding

   Frank Shuttleworth marries Dorothy Clotilda Lang.

1909

1. Our founder is born

   Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth is born on 16 July.

2. Blériot crosses the Channel

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

1913

1. Frank Shuttleworth dies

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

1914

1. WWI begins

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

2. A convalescent home

   Shuttleworth House is opened as a convalescent home.

1916

1. Aircraft for the war effort

   Clayton & Shuttleworth begin building aircraft for the war effort.

1928

1. 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.

2. Clayton & Shuttleworth closes

1930

1. Richard is commissioned

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

1931

1. A racer is born

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

2. A passion for engineering

   Richard forms ‘The Warden Engineering Company.’

1932

1. Adding to the Collection

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

2. Richard inherits the Shuttleworth Estate

1933

1. 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.

1934

1. Another aircraft purchase

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

2. Comet wins the England-Melbourne Air Race

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

1935

1. More purchases

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

2. A Grand Prix win

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

1936

1. 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.

2. 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.

1939

1. WWII begins

2. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

   Richard is admitted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

1940

1. A convalescent home once more

   Shuttleworth House is opened as a convalescent home.

2. RAF Benson transfer

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

3. Unexpected death

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

1942

1. 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.

1944

1. 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.

1946

1. Shuttleworth College opens

   The Shuttleworth Agricultural College opens with six students.

1950

1. 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.

1961

1. Supermarine and Hawker acquisition

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

1963

1. The Shuttleworth Collection opens to the public

2. Dorothy is awarded an OBE

   Dorothy Shuttleworth receives an OBE for services to agricultural education.

1964

1. Shuttleworth presents its first air show

1965

1. de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS acquisition

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

2. 'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'

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

3. Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society

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

1968

1. Battle of Britain

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

1971

1. An astronaut visits Shuttleworth

   Astronaut Neil Armstrong visits the Shuttleworth Collection.

1979

1. A royal visit

   HRH King Charles visits the Shuttleworth Collection.

1980s

1. Swiss Garden reopens

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

1989

1. Airfield Volunteer Fire Service

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

1992

1. Friends of the Swiss Garden

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

1994

1. The AVFS is formally established

2012

1. £2.8m awarded to Swiss Garden

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

2014

1. 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”.

2015

1. 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”.

2. Shuttleworth House is officially opened to the public

2016

1. Three Edwardian buses are added to the vehicle fleet

2019

1. 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.

2020

1. An RHS Partner Garden

   Swiss Garden is awarded RHS Partner Garden status.

2022

1. Award-winning wedding venue

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

2. Three donations from BAE Systems

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

2023

1. The Sandford Award for Heritage Education

   Shuttleworth is awarded The Sandford Award for Heritage Education.

2024

1. Shuttleworth celebrates 60 years of air shows

2. 200 years of the Swiss Garden

   Shuttleworth celebrates 200 years of the Swiss Garden.

3. 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. 

2025

1. ‘Antiques Roadshow’ comes to Shuttleworth

   Shuttleworth hosts BBC One’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’.

1. Richard and Dorothy’s direct family remain closely involved as trustees of The Shuttleworth Trust.