The 4th Duke of Portland built the Lodge in 1844 from stone from his own quarries. It is reputed that he offered stone for the Houses of Parliament in London, having been turned down he built this folly to prove how good the stone stood the weather.

It is a copy of the Priory Gate House at Worksop, known as the "Dukes Folly". and was intended to be a series leading from Welbeck Abbey to Nottingham. A large and elegant stone building to the latest Gothic style consisting of a carriage archway in the centre, which straddles the Neutral Drive, (through which the centre tree of Sherwood Forest could be seen) with a dwelling on each side and over the archway a large banqueting hall, come school room . One dwelling was intended for the schoolmistress, the other was usually occupied by the gamekeeper.

The school provided education for on average 30 poor pupils of Clipstone and Welbeck Estates, which included Portland Row at Edwinstowe. Girls 5 to 15 years, Boys, 5 to 7 years. All wore uniforms supplied by the Duke of Portland which included a red cloak.

On the south side it is ornamented with figures of Robin Hood, Little John and Maid Marion on the north side, King Richard and an old Friar and Alan Dale, with four hares cut in the stone at each of the other sides.

A new school provided by the Duke of Portland was opened in 1906.