Woolsthorpe Manor

Woolsthorpe Manor in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, is the birthplace and was the family home of Sir Isaac Newton. He was born there on 25 December 1642 (old calendar). At that time it was a yeoman's farmstead, principally rearing sheep.

Newton returned here in 1666 when Cambridge University closed due to the plague, and here he performed many of his most famous experiments, most notably his work on light and optics. This is also said to be the site where Newton, observing an apple fall from a tree, was inspired to formulate his law of universal gravitation.

Now in the hands of the National Trust and open to the public all year round, it is presented as a typical seventeenth century yeoman's farmhouse (or as near to that as possible, taking into account modern living, health and safety requirements and structural changes that have been made to the house since Newton's time).

New areas of the house, once private, were opened up to the public in 2003, with the old rear steps (that once led up to the hay loft and grain store and often seen in drawings of the period) being rebuilt, and the old walled kitchen garden, to the rear of the house, being restored.

One of the former farmyard buildings has been equipped so that visitors can have hands-on experience of the physical principles investigated by Newton in the house.

It is a Grade I listed building.

The village

Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth (not to be confused with Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir, also in Lincolnshire) has grown from a hamlet of several houses in the seventeenth century to a small village of several hundred houses today; much of the original land once owned by Woolsthorpe Manor was sold to a nearby family,[] and some of the immediate open land has since been built upon. Woolsthorpe Manor remains on the edge of the village and is mostly surrounded by fields.

In popular culture

  • Appears in episode three and ten of the TV documentary Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, whilst discussing the development of planetary motion and Newton's input on the matter.

See also

  • Isaac Newton's early life and achievements

External links

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Elaine Rizzo
26 August 2015
The hands on science center is great & has things for all ages - not just young kids. Go in the fall when the apples are falling off of the tree and you may be able to take one off the ground!
Joanna West
20 July 2013
If you're nearby and a National Trust member then pop in and enjoy a half hour trip into history.
Daniel Egan
30 December 2016
Great science exhibits for the wee ones, nice little cafe.
Tat Chuen Kong
30 October 2013
Look out for CoCo the cat. He's very friendly and loves to come up and say "Hello!"
Bob Whiteman
27 April 2023
Lunch after looking the Manor House where Isaac Newton was born.
Paul Kemp
20 May 2012
Great family day out!
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Map
2 Water Ln, Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth, Grantham NG33 5PD, UK Get directions
Wed 7:00 AM–8:00 AM
Thu 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Fri 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Sat 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sun 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Mon 8:00 AM–6:00 PM

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