With the longest façade of any English country house, Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed stately residence in South Yorkshire. It is situated on 87 acres of gardens and grounds and offers expansive views of historic parkland that is now owned by the Fitzwilliam Wentworth Amenity Trust, including a deer park and lakes.
The largest private residence in the United Kingdom is The Wentworth House, which dates back to the 18th century. With a floor area of 250,000 square feet, it contains more than 300 rooms.
History of Wentworth Woodhouse
You could be excused for believing that, with a population of fewer than 1,500, this is just a peaceful agricultural or retirement community. One of Yorkshire’s most majestic and enigmatic structures is Wentworth House.
It’s Wentworth Woodhouse here. This enormous private residence, sometimes known as “the House” or “Wentworth House,” is located in the United Kingdom.
How the name ‘Woodhouse’ comes from
Well, the history of the family who possessed the land is responsible for the choice of place. A sizable piece of the woodland was cleared in the 1200s to make room for a family estate where the house is currently located. Because Woodhouse was a phrase used to describe a village established on previously forested terrain, this is where the name “Woodhouse” originates. The family that possessed this mansion adopted the name Woodhouse as their own. The Wentworth family, which derived its name from the village in which it resided, wed their heir Robert to Emma of the Woodhouses in the 1300s.
Usage of Wentworth House during the Second World War
The Intelligence Corps had its headquarters at Wentworth Woodhouse during the Second World War. This division of the military, which was established in 1914, specialized in gathering and analyzing crucial intelligence. They established training facilities in scenic and illustrious locations, one of which being the Woodhouse.
At that time, the family relocated while the military stationed its soldiers in the stable blocks and its officers in the West Front’s dwelling quarters. They also used the Wentworth Park for motorcycle training and the Marble Saloon for military drills. Justin Brooke, a military engineer who fought alongside the Finnish during the 1939 Winter War against the Soviet Union, was one among the troops that attended the Woodhouse.
Following the Second World War
One of the primary reasons for the nationalization of the sector was the UK’s urgent need for coal after World War II. In reaction to this choice, the Fitzwilliams, who controlled numerous nearby collieries, were obliged to give up a significant portion of their riches. The Wentworth House’s location just on the Barnsley Seam, though, was even more problematic. Parliamentary arguments raged in 1946 over whether this coal should be mined considering that it was beneath the ancient building and would cause significant harm to it.
The open-cast mining was vigorously opposed by the media, the Conservative Party, the community, and even the miners themselves. For starters, they contended, the harm it would cause to one of Britain’s greatest residences at the time was immeasurable. For two, Emmanuel “Manny” Shinwell, the Minister of Fuel and Power from 1945 to 1947, asserted that there was a plentiful supply of high-quality coal. However, there was no scientific research to back up that assertion—quite the opposite!
Despite this, open-cast mining continued for forty years at the Woodhouse. Some people think Shinwell carried out this effort to criticize the coal-owning aristocracy, and it was nearly malicious on his part. The West Front’s front door was reached by the excavating. The Earl and Lady would see the top of a dirt mound if they looked out the windows of their living quarters—this is not an exaggeration!
Record-breaking lengths of Wentworth Woodhouse
The façade is the longest of any country house in Europe. In architecture, the facade is the front facing an open space. Its 600 feet in length makes it twice as long as Buckingham Palace and a typical football field. Due to the almost five miles of hallways and more than 300 rooms, it would take close to two hours to walk the entire estate. Nobody can fully agree on the exact number of rooms because there is disagreement over things like whether or not cabinets qualify as rooms. Nevertheless, with a massive 250,000 square feet of floor space, this is undoubtedly one of South Yorkshire’s crowning achievements.
The construction of Wentworth Woodhouse began for the 1st Marquess of Rockingham around 1735 and lasted for forty years until it was given to the Fitzwilliam family. The mansion was used by Military Intelligence during World War II, and after 1945, the start of open cast coal mining in the garden and park rendered it impossible for the family to return. A long lease for the majority of the mansion was granted to West Riding County Council in 1947, just before the 8th Earl Fitzwilliam perished in a plane disaster in 1948. The residence served as a Women’s Physical Education College where instructors were trained.
A grand inspiration?
Some scholars claim that Wentworth Woodhouse was even the model for Pemberley Estate in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The Jane Austen Society, however, claims that there is no proof that the author ever visited Yorkshire, much less the estate, during her lifetime.
Wentworth House Ghost
The stable block is also receiving extensive renovations and will soon be transformed into offices, homes, and vacation rentals. The stables are said to be haunted by a tall, black man that roams the halls at night. Both employees and guests have reported seeing them.
Restoration project at the Wentworth House
The home is undergoing a significant restoration by the Preservation Trust. While phased repairs are ongoing, some areas of Wentworth Woodhouse will still be accessible to the general public.
Following the 1974 local government reorganization, Sheffield Polytechnic College acquired the facility as a student campus from Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, who had previously been the lessee (now Sheffield Hallam University). In 1988, Rotherham paid to terminate the lease due to rising costs. W.G. Haydon-Baillie was given ownership of the home as well as 87 acres of grounds and parkland in 1989. The house was put back on the market in 1998, and the Newbold family bought it in 1999. They stayed there until 2017, when Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust bought it on behalf of the country.
Wentworth House Tearoom
The Wentworth Woodhouse tearoom, which occupies the space that used to be the Butler’s Pantry, has expanded dramatically over the past several years and is now open five days a week. In addition to house specialties like Homity Pie, freshly cooked sandwiches, handmade soup, and a variety of delectable cakes and pastries, we also offer a variety of locally sourced and homemade delicacies.
Wentworth House Gardens
Herbaceous borders, breathtaking vistas of the surrounding countryside, and historical landmarks like the Punch Bowl, Ionic Temple, and Ice House may all be found in the formal gardens at Wentworth Woodhouse. On a guided tour, which also includes the ancient walled garden at Wentworth Garden Centre, where a maze, formal gardens, and a bear pit formerly stood, visitors may see these beauties and much more.
Wentworth Garden Centre
Wentworth Garden Centre is incredibly distinctive because it is situated among sixteen acres of historical walled and planted gardens. The center is admirably situated amid the South Yorkshire estate community of Wentworth.
The store offers a wide selection of plants, knickknacks, ceramics, gardening supplies, furniture and barbecues, pots, gift items, apparel, floristry, indoor plants, greeting cards, and much more.
People also ask :
Where is Wentworth Woodhouse?
The M1 is only three miles from this historic property, which is situated in South Yorkshire between Sheffield, Rotherham, and Barnsley. Visit the website of Wentworth Woodhouse for directions.
How big is Wentworth house?
250,000 square feet
Opening times
From Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 5 pm, Wentworth Woodhouse is open.
Facilities in Wentworth House
Pets Are Accepted, and Indoor/Outdoor Card Payment Is Required. Booking Is Essential.
Who lives in Wentworth Woodhouse
The property’s 87 acres of grounds and the home were sold to a private buyer in 1988, then again to the Newbold family in 1999, and finally to the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust in April 2017. Visit Wentworth Woodhouse’s website for the most up-to-date details on their access policies.
Who owns the Wentworth House?
The Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, whose main objective is to regenerate the land for the benefit of South Yorkshire, presently owns the Wentworth House.
Can you go inside Wentworth Woodhouse?
As the House opens its doors to free-flow visits, Wentworth Woodhouse allows you to meander in and explore its main rooms at your own pace, maybe visualizing yourself at a lavish supper or grand ball.
What is Wentworth Woodhouse famous for?
The Fitzwilliam family previously lived in one of Europe’s biggest houses, Wentworth Woodhouse.
Is Wentworth Woodhouse free?
Members of Historic Houses get free access. Members of Historic Houses receive complimentary House & Gardens tickets to Wentworth Woodhouse, which can be purchased at the door or online.
Is Woodhouse a village?
Formerly a rural and coal mining community, Woodhouse (grid reference SK420849) is now a suburb and housing development in Sheffield’s southeast.
Source : nationaltrust.org.uk | please dm for removals
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