The current house was started in 1715 by Mark Antonie, a self-made man who aspired to become part of the landed gentry.

[2] The house and extensive grounds were acquired in 1935 by Henry Mond, 2nd Baron Melchett and subsequently sold to Unilever in November 1947, who restored and developed them into a research laboratory through 1948, with the first staff moving in during 1950.

Unilever employed up to 1,750 people at Colworth during the 1970s and constructed several laboratory buildings surrounding a central grassed park.

Numerous finds by amateur archaeologists led to the discovery of a Roman villa and farm in a field adjacent to the property.

The award recognises outstanding research by a young biochemist of any nationality who has carried out the majority of their work in the UK.