TINY china tea cups, hand stitched dolls clothes and a glorious child’s play horse from the 1860s are all part of an exhibition of antique children’s toys that has just gone on display.

The private collection of toys, most of which date from the early 1900s, can be seen at Newark Park in Ozleworth.

The array of children’s trinkets, card games and other delightful old-fashioned games is on loan from a volunteer who works at the 18th century National Trust property near Wotton-under-Edge.

Lucy Seymour Smith, who often gives up her time to work at the property, has lent the house her personal collection of toys handed down to her from her mother, Avril Greener.

The collection of toys belonged to both her mother and two aunts, the first of whom was born in 1902, although some of the toys are slightly older having been passed on to the three sisters from older members of the family.

The oldest item is a large toy horse for young children to sit on, estimated to be around 140 years old.

But Lucy’s favourites are the dolls and the teddy bears.

"I just love teddy bears, they are my thing, so the four teddies are very special to me," said Lucy, of Ashmead, near Cam.

"I am very lucky to have been left all of these items, it is not very often you get so many toys in one collection."

Lucy, a former nurse, has never had the whole collection valued but said she would never want to sell it.

"There is so much of it. I will probably eventually donate it to the National Trust so that people are able to see it on display."

The collection includes some tiny, perfectly crafted tea cups and saucers for dolls' tea parties, wind-up toys still in working order, hand carved animals from a Noah's Ark set, a range of playing cards and dominos sets and a printed fabric sheet with illustrated nursery rhymes.

The exhibition, called ‘The Nostalgia of Childhood: An exhibition of toys from the past' is on display at Newark Park until the end of the month.

The property is now into its summer season and is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am – 5pm.