History of The Clumber SPaniel
A remarkable breed with an intriguing past
Powerful, purposeful and unmistakable, the story of the Clumber is closely linked with Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, the estate that gave the breed its name.
ORIGINS OF THE CLUMBER SPANIEL
The Clumber Spaniel has a history as distinctive as the breed itself
Powerful, purposeful and unmistakable, the Clumber was developed as a working spaniel capable of moving steadily through the dense cover of the great country estates of England. Its story is closely linked with Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, the historic estate of the Dukes of Newcastle, and the place from which the breed takes its name.
But exactly where the first Clumbers came from remains one of the breed's enduring mysteries.
WHERE DID THE CLUMBER COME FROM?
Some things are known. Others remain a mystery.
There are several theories about the origins of the Clumber Spaniel, but there is no definitive evidence establishing exactly which breeds or dogs created the Clumber.
THEORY ONE
A Gift From France
One long-standing story suggests that dogs were brought from France to England during the French Revolution by the Duc de Noailles and given to the Duke of Newcastle. It is an attractive story, but there is no firm historical evidence to confirm it.
THEORY TWO
Bred in England
Another possibility is that the breed developed gradually in England from combinations of sporting dogs selected by gamekeepers for the particular conditions in which they worked. Suggestions have included early spaniels and hound-type dogs, but these theories remain just that - theories.
CLUMBER PARK
The home of the Clumber
Clumber Park was the great Nottinghamshire estate of the Dukes of Newcastle.
The estate had been enclosed from Sherwood Forest in the early 18th century, and by the 1760s it was being developed into an impressive country estate. The second Duke of Newcastle inherited Clumber Park in 1768 and is widely credited with developing the breed associated with the estate.
The Clumber was perfectly suited to the estate's demanding terrain. Low to the ground, strongly built and exceptionally determined, these dogs could work methodically through thick undergrowth where lighter, faster spaniels might struggle.
THE DUKE'S DOGS
From estate workers to a recognised breed
The Duke's gamekeeper, William Mansell, is often credited with playing an important role in developing the Clumber. As an experienced gamekeeper, he would have understood precisely what was required of a dog working the dense cover around Clumber Park. The dogs became known locally as "the Duke's breed" or "Mansell's breed", and their reputation gradually spread beyond Clumber Park.
Other members of the landed gentry began keeping Clumbers, particularly in the surrounding estates of Nottinghamshire and neighbouring counties.
The qualities valued then remain recognisable today:
A glimpse into the breed's early history
At Holkham Hall there is a painting by Gainsborough, completed in 1786, showing three Clumber Spaniels at the feet of Thomas William Coke, who inherited the estate in 1776 from the 1st Earl of Leicester.
In 1788, the artist Francis Wheatley painted The Return from Shooting, depicting the Duke of Newcastle and his hunting party at Clumber Park. Among the dogs are several that are unmistakably of Clumber type. The painting is particularly valuable because it provides a rare visual record of the breed at a time when formal breed standards did not yet exist.
Paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries suggest that, despite changes over the years, the essential character and distinctive outline of the Clumber have remained remarkably consistent.
The Clumber steps into the show ring
The breed also attracted royal admirers. Prince Albert and King Edward VII were among the prominent owners who helped raise the Clumber's profile.
As the popularity of dog shows increased, so too did the importance of maintaining a recognisable breed type. The Clumber's distinctive combination of substance, strength, low build and thoughtful expression became firmly established. The Clumber Spaniel was one of only 40 original breeds recognised by the Royal Kennel Club at its founding in 1873.
More than a century later, the Clumber Spaniel Club continues that tradition.
A breed that travelled
From Britain to the wider world
The Clumber did not remain confined to Britain's country estates.
Clumbers were exported overseas during the 19th century and became established in North America and elsewhere. The breed was among the first nine breeds recognised by the American Kennel Club in 1878, demonstrating how well established its reputation had already become.
By the end of the 19th century, Clumbers were being shown and bred in several countries, while remaining relatively uncommon compared with many other spaniels.
The challenges of the 20th century
A breed under pressure
The world in which the Clumber had originally flourished began to change dramatically.
The decline of large country estates, changes in shooting practices, two World Wars and changing preferences for faster, lighter gundogs all affected the breed.
Clumber numbers fell significantly, and the breed became increasingly associated with the show ring and life as a companion rather than its original working role.
The survival of the breed is testament to the dedication of breeders and enthusiasts who continued to value the Clumber and worked to preserve it.
Today the Clumber Spaniel is on the RKC Vulnerable Native Breed list, with fewer than 300 puppies registered each year.
Clumber Park today
Returning to the breed's roots
Clumber House itself was demolished in 1938, and Clumber Park was later requisitioned during the Second World War. In 1945, the estate came into the care of the National Trust.
The park remains an important part of the breed's story. Today, Clumber Spaniel enthusiasts continue to visit and hold events at Clumber Park, maintaining a living connection between the modern breed and the place where its history was shaped.
There is something particularly fitting about seeing Clumbers once again walking the landscape that gave them their name. The National Trust has recently done a great deal of work recognising the history of the breed, including information boards at the bridge, photographs of Clumbers in the dog-friendly café, and a coppice planted near the original kennels, to be known as The Clumber Spaniel Coppice.
THE CLUMBER TODAY
Preserving the past. Shaping the future.
The Clumber Spaniel has travelled a long way from the shooting fields of an English country estate. Today, Clumbers can be found in the show ring, working in the field, taking part in training and dog activities, and – most importantly – living as much-loved family companions.
Yet the qualities that made the original Clumbers so valuable remain at the heart of the breed:
The challenge for today's Clumber community is to preserve those qualities while putting health, soundness, welfare and genetic diversity at the heart of the breed's future.
The Clumber's history is not simply something to look back on.
It is something we are responsible for carrying forward.