Spixworth Hall and the surrounding parkland remained in the Longe family for 257 years until 1952, when it was demolished.

The house's library consisted of one of the most extensive collections of first-edition books of any stately home in the UK, with works by William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Miquel de Cervantes.

As was fashionable with large households, records show that the Longe family kept animals, including a large monkey who used to live in the stable block, and a bear who lived in the butler's cottage and the wine cellar.

Another treasure was Dorothy Osborne's plain gold engagement ring engraved ‘the love I owe I cannot showe’.

Sir William Temple of Moor Park was married to Dorothy Osborne, and they were close friends of the Longes.

In 2011, the will of Thomas Longe of Ashwellthorpe was discovered, giving historians the first positive identification of a common soldier fighting for the House of York during the Battle of Bosworth.