The former ancestral home of poet Lord Byron –– which is owned by Nottingham City Council –– is currently in need of significant funds to finance ongoing repair work and general running costs.

It is estimated around £2m is needed to pay for repairs to the West Front of the 12th Century landmark, as well as hundreds of thousands pounds more to repair other parts of the abbey and its grounds.

Now campaigners fear the iconic 330-acre attraction will go to ruin and are calling on folk across Mansfield and Ashfield to put pressure on council and tourist chiefs.

Prof Frank Wilson, a retired university lecturer and Lord Byron expert, told Chad: "Nottingham City Council discriminates against the abbey in its funding and this national treasure is missing out on living up to its full potential.

"The abbey is a wonderful site of historical interest and has got fantastic potential to attract tourism and jobs to North Nottinghamshire.

"Much more needs to be done to both preserve what is already there and to promote it more robustly. Lord Byron is known around the world and the people of North Nottinghamshire are missing out because the abbey is being neglected."

Ideas

And he also called on interested parties to back Newstead Abbey and come up with ideas to safeguard the long-term future of the attraction.

Added Prof Wilson: "The abbey needs someone to champion its case and to get the public behind it. Nobody has stood up for the abbey and it is about time they did.

"I think the abbey should be taken on board by a range of organisations who have an interest in promoting the abbey and the surrounding area."

But Nottingham City Council's head of cultural services Peter Milton told Chad the authority was currently working hard to find a way of boosting the abbey's appeal.

"The city council takes its duty of care very seriously and in the past few years has commissioned development and conservation plans for Newstead Abbey," he said.

"Newstead can capitalise on Byron's name and become one of the most excitingly presented and interpreted historic houses in the country.

"The abbey can become a much more dynamic centre with an improved educational and visitor experience. This is a national treasure and the potential for the abbey has not been achieved and that is something we want to address.

"We need to look at what we want to do with Newstead Abbey and what is the best way forward.