Shuttleworth
Shuttleworth in Biggleswade is a unique heritage destination where aviation history, engineering skill, and rural tradition come together in an atmospheric countryside setting. Centred around the world‑famous Shuttleworth Collection, it preserves one of the finest assortments of vintage aircraft and historic vehicles in the world, many of which still take to the skies during seasonal airshows. The hangars reveal rare early flying machines, elegant interwar aircraft, and classic cars and motorcycles, each restored with exceptional care. Alongside the collection, the Swiss Garden offers a peaceful contrast, with its ornamental landscapes, winding paths, and picturesque follies. Together, the estate creates a rich and varied visitor experience, blending the excitement of living aviation heritage with the charm of a nineteenth‑century garden retreat.
Biggleswade United Kingdom
Shuttleworth is located at Old Warden Aerodrome, near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP, set within a 4,500-acre estate. It is home to the Shuttleworth Collection, one of the world’s finest collections of vintage aircraft and vehicles, founded in 1928 by aviator Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth. The museum’s six hangars display over 40 airworthy aircraft from the early 1900s to the 1950s, including five pre-World War I planes and the oldest flying Bleriot XI from 1909, alongside Edwardian cars, motorcycles, buses, and agricultural machinery. Regular summer air displays showcase many exhibits in flight from the grass airfield. The site also includes Shuttleworth House, a Victorian stately home used for events, and the Swiss Garden, a Regency landscape with listed follies, grotto, and RHS-partner gardens. What is nearby: Shuttleworth sits in the picturesque village of Old Warden, two miles west of the A1 at Biggleswade. The estate grounds include Shuttleworth House, which hosts weddings and conferences with 15 en-suite bedrooms, and the Swiss Garden, a nine-acre romantic garden created in the 1820s with Indian kiosk, Swiss cottage, Pulhamite rockwork, and seasonal planting. Visitors can explore woodland walks, a play area, paddocks overlooking the airfield, and a café with terrace views.
Abbey
Museum