Plate 128 · British Isles
Clumber Spaniel
克伦伯猎犬
“A duke's spaniel, kept by kings.”
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
- Region of origin
- Named after the Duke of Newcastle's estate, Clumber Park; the marker is Nottinghamshire's reference point. A French origin is also claimed.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Late 18th century
- Today
- Gun dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
The largest of the spaniels: a low, white, lemon- or orange-marked dog that works slowly through dense cover.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Flushing and retrieving game birds in heavy cover on great estates.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Its history is uncertain before the mid-19th century: one theory brings its forebears from France around the Revolution, another derives it from the old type of Blenheim Spaniel. The Duke of Newcastle's gamekeeper William Mansell is credited with shaping it. Prince Albert, Edward VII and George V kept Clumbers; it was shown from 1859.
04 · Today
Gun dog · Companion
A gun dog and a calm companion.
Personality
- Mellow
- Amusing
- Gentlemanly
- Thoughtful
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- More active than it looks: long walks with time to sniff, and retrieving games.
- Grooming
- Clean the heavy ears and facial folds; trim nails monthly.
- Training
- Steady and thoughtful: keep training interesting.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 10–12 years
- Coat
- Dense, straight, silky coat; white with lemon or orange markings
Field note
Queen Victoria wrote in her diary in 1840 of watching Prince Albert's seven Clumbers find game.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 8, standard 109), The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Sporting Group, recognized 1878.
Reported as a UK Kennel Club Vulnerable Native Breed (fewer than 300 new UK registrations a year). AKC registrations: ranked 133 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Clumber Spaniel — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/clumber-spaniel/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Clumber Spaniel — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clumber_Spaniel
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Clumber Park, the two origin theories, William Mansell, royal owners and Queen Victoria's 1840 diary entry, shows from 1859, introduction to Canada in 1844.
- Clumber Spaniel — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/CLUMBER-SPANIEL-109.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Great Britain; Group 8, section "Flushing Dogs"; accepted 1954.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Named after the Duke of Newcastle's estate, Clumber Park; the marker is Nottinghamshire's reference point. A French origin is also claimed.
