This site requires a Javascript enabled browser. Please enable Javascript or upgrade your browser to access all the features.

Exhibits encouraging visitors to explore the people and places of Barnsley

House Tours at Wentworth Castle

16th Feb - 19th Apr 2024

Take a peek inside the grand house at the centre of the estate on a select number of volunteer-led tours through Wentworth Castle, now Northern College.

The route involves several staircases. If you have additional accessibility requirements, please get in touch in advance so that we can make suitable arrangements.

Tours will last 75–90 minutes.

Barnsley Museums Jan - April What's on 2024

(PDF, 5.2 MB)

Download file - Barnsley Museums Jan - April What's on 2024

National Trust Ticket Portal

National Trust Logo

  • Home Visit our homepage
  • My Account Manage your details
  • FAQs Got a question?
  • Call us 0344 249 1895
  • Email us [email protected]
  • Visit our website https://www.nationaltrust.org....
  • Places Change place
  • Wentworth Castle Gardens - Events

House Tours at Wentworth Castle

House Tours at Wentworth Castle

Take a peek inside the grand house at the centre of the estate on a select number of volunteer-led tours through Wentworth Castle, now Northern College.

Have you ever wanted to peek inside the grand Wentworth Castle? Now’s your chance!

Marvel at its intricate ceilings and grand staircases as the route winds through a selection of the house’s finest rooms, like the Long Gallery and the Queen Anne Rooms.

Tickets are £8, plus normal admission. Booking is essential.

Under 5's are included with an adult ticket, but the tour is recommended for children aged 10 and up. As the tour route involves several sets of stairs, buggies or prams may be limiting.

The route involves several staircases and long stretches of uneven floor. If you have additional accessibility requirements, please get in touch in advance so that we can make suitable arrangements.

The tours will run from 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, and 1.30pm each day. The tours are expected to last 75-90 minutes.

As Northern College is a working college, the tour route may vary based on availability of the rooms on the day.

Please note:

  • Normal Admission charges apply to non-members on arrival.
  • Meet outside the Visitor information Shed. It is 200 metres from the car park to the Visitor Information Shed so please allow time for walking up.

Ticket options

Normal Admission charges apply to non-members on arrival. Under 5's are included with an adult ticket, but the tour is recommended for children aged 10 and up. As the tour route involves several sets of stairs, buggies or prams may be limiting.

  • Email our Central Box Office: [email protected]
  • Call us : 0344 249 1895
  • View company information
  • Branch Address : Wentworth Castle Gardens, Park Drive, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 3EN

Our payments are processed using : SagePay

Maestro

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Statement

DigiTickets Logo

I'm having trouble with my purchase!

Tell me more about DigiTickets!

Our website uses necessary cookies to complete your checkout.

We would also like to set optional cookies for analytics to help make improvements to the website and for marketing purposes. These will be set only if you accept below.

For more information please see our Cookie Policy within our Privacy Policy .

Are you still here? Your session will end soon due to inactivity.

Your session has ended due to inactivity

Something's gone wrong. Please return to the homepage and try again.

Independent Travel Cats

Savvy Travel Advice

Visiting Wentworth Woodhouse: The Grand Home of the Earls Fitzwilliam in Yorkshire

Last updated: October 17, 2021 - Written by Jessica Norah 50 Comments

Wentworth Woodhouse is one of the finest Georgian buildings in the United Kingdom and it has the longest façade of any country home in Europe; however, very few people have ever heard of this spectacular English house!

Starting as a modest Jacobean house in the 17th century, it would be rebuilt and expanded to enormous proportions by a series of aristocratic families. The house would become the seat of the Earls Fitzwilliam who would rise to be one of the wealthiest families in England due to profits from the coal industry.

At one time, over 1,000 staff members were employed to run and look after the 300+ room house and the vast estate. However, a series of scandals, inheritance fights, untimely deaths, and the nationalization of coal would soon lead to both the end of the Earl Fitzwilliam line and the shuttering of this great house.

This grand Yorkshire house was closed to the public for decades but opened for public tours in 2012. Wentworth Woodhouse was the largest private home in England until it was sold in 2017 to the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust who have been breathing new life into the old house and giving it a new future.

We’ll share some of the fascinating history of this house and its occupants, tell you all you need to know to visit Wentworth Woodhouse yourself, and share details of our own tours of Wentworth Woodhouse.

We think once you know the story of this house, you’ll be intrigued to visit it too!

visit Wentworth Woodhouse tour Palladian east front

Table of Contents:

How to Visit and Tour Wentworth Woodhouse

Where is wentworth woodhouse located .

Address:   Wentworth Woodhouse, Wentworth, Rotherham S62 7TQ

Wentworth Woodhouse is located in the town of Wentworth in South Yorkshire in northern England.

The estate is located about 10 miles from Sheffield (~40 min drive), 30 miles from Leeds (~50 min drive), 40 miles from Manchester (~1 hour, 30 min drive), 50 miles from York (~1 hour, 10 min drive), or 170 miles from London (~ 4 hours drive).

How to Get to Wentworth Woodhouse?

You can either drive, take public transportation, or hire a taxi depending on where you are traveling from. If you are flying or taking the train, you can then get to Wentworth Woodhouse via bus or taxi.

If you are driving, there is free on-site parking available at Wentworth Woodhouse for visitors in a paved area near the house. The entrance is accessed off Corthworth Lane (directly opposite the end of Clayfield Lane). Then you’ll drive down the driveway and follow signs to the Visitor Parking area. There is also disabled parking available next to the house entrance for Blue Badge holders visiting the house.

There are regular bus services to the village of Wentworth from nearby towns and villages. It is about a 10 to 20 minute walk from the village bus stops to Wentworth Woodhouse depending on the bus stop.

There is no train station in Wentworth, but you should be able to connect via bus from a nearby train station (e.g., Rotherham, Elescar, Sheffield, Barnsley) to reach the house. You can check public transit connections online here via Traveline.

If you are flying,  Leeds Bradford Airport is the closest airport (about a 1 hour and 10 minute drive) but has limited flight connections. T he nearest major airport is Manchester Airport  and it is about a 1 hour, 45 minute drive from Manchester to Wentworth Woodhouse.

How to Visit Wentworth Woodhouse?

The main way to visit Wentworth Woodhouse is to book a guided tour. Self-guided tours were also recently introduced and you can explore the house and gardens at your own pace.

It is recommended that you book your tour tickets in advance, especially for the guided tours as they limit the numbers on each tour. But you can also book tickets on site.

Other special events also regularly take place at Wentworth Woodhouse including festivals, car shows, lectures, music events in the gardens, holiday festivities, and more. However, these types of events often include limited access to the house.

Cost of Tours at Wentworth Woodhouse?

There are generally several guided tours of the house offered each day. The primary tour, the Wentworth Tour which visiting the main rooms of the house, is currently priced (as of October 2021) at £22 per adult (age 18+) and £12.50 per child (age 5-17). 

A number of additional specialty tours are also offered and these tours range in prices. They generally cost between £25 and £50 per adult and between £13 and £25 per child.

Self-guided visits to the house and gardens are currently priced (as of October 2021) at £10 per adult (age 18+) and £5 per child (age 5-17). Admission to the gardens only is £6.00 for adults and £3.00 for children. Family tickets are also available.

Children under age 5 can visit for free with an accompanying adult for most tours and events.

National Trust Members (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) save 50% on admission prices.

What Wentworth Woodhouse Tours are Offered?

The main tour is the Wentworth Tour that covers the history of the family and house and visits the main rooms of the house. But there are several additional tours available as well that you can take, and these tours change regularly.

Here is a list of some of the recent tours that have been offered:

  • Wentworth Tour : the primary house tour that covers the history of the house and the people who lived in it, and includes visits to the principal rooms in the house. This is the tour that is recommended for first-time visitors to the house.
  • Conservation Tour – a tour focused on the restoration and conservation of the house, including past work, current work, and future projects. Visitors will be taken to see current conservation work in action.
  • Black Diamonds Tour – a tour of the house based on Catherine Bailey’s book, Black Diamonds , and a tour path that was designed in conjunction with the author
  • Bob’s Tour – a tour with former Fitzwilliam employee and long time tour guide Bob who worked as a local carpenter and joiner. Our first tour of the house was with Bob.
  • Hidden Tour – a tour that focuses on parts of the house not normally open to the public
  • Garden Tour – a guided tour of the Wentworth gardens with the head gardener
  • Lady Mabel Tour – a guided tour that focuses on the house’s time as a women’s teacher training phyiscal education college led by former students of the college
  • Stables Tour – a guided tour focused on the large Georgian stableblock and riding school

Wentworth Tours are approximately 1 hour long. Most of the guided specialty tours last between 60 to 90 minutes.

All tours include access to the gardens, which you can visit on your own after the tour. You can also take the self-guided tour once you have done your main tour if you wish to revisit any of the main rooms So be sure to leave some extra time.

How do I Book a Tour of Wentworth Woodhouse? 

You can book a tour online , by phone by calling 01226 749639, or by booking on-site at the ticket booth at Wentworth Woodhouse.

It is recommended that you book your tickets in advance, especially for the guided tours as they limit the numbers on each tour and they do often sell out for certain time slots. But you can also book tickets on-site on the day of your visit.

Other Events at Wentworth Woodhouse?

Special events regularly take place at Wentworth Woodhouse including festivals, car shows, lectures, music events in the gardens, holiday festivities, children’s events, film screenings, and more. You can check the events calender to see what is happening and to book tickets for these special events.

The house also welcomes corporate groups, weddings, parties, and other groups who would like to hold an event at Wentworth Woodhouse. You’ll want to get in touch with the events staff at Wentworth to get details.

Accessibility at Wentworth Woodhouse?

The main entrance of the house has 4 steps, but there is an access ramp available (it is advised that visitors call in advance if needing use of the ramp). The ticket area, gift shop, and tea room are all on ground floor and are accessible. Accessible toilets are available. Guide dogs are welcome in the house and gardens.

Only parts of the house are not wheelchair accessible due to the historical nature of the house. The upper floors of the house can currently only be accessed by two flights of stairs.

Most areas of the garden are accessible to wheelchairs and electric scooters although paths can be a bit uneven and muddy. Staff are happy to advise on the best paths.

There is a Disabled Parking area for Blue Badge holders in front of the house. Visitors may also drop off those with restricted mobility near the main entrance.

If you or someone you are traveling with has a physical mobility issue or disability, I would recommend calling in advance to see what type of tour might be best and make any necessary arrangements.

Are Dogs Allowed at Wentworth Woodhouse?

Dogs are not allowed on tours or in most parts of Wentworth Woodhouse. However, well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the gardens and in a dedicated area of the house tea room. Guide dogs are welcome throughout the house and gardens.

In the wider Wentworth Estate, dogs are permitted on the public footpaths as long as they are kept on leads.

Is Photography Allowed at Wentworth Woodhouse?

Yes, personal photography is allowed in the house and gardens. Commercial photography is only allowed with written permission and authorization.

Eating at Wentworth Woodhouse?

There is a tea room in the ground floor of the house that serves light meals, sandwiches, cakes, snacks, tea, and coffee. There is also usually a food kiosk open in the gardens serving sandwiches, snacks, drinks, and ice cream. Visitors are also permitted to have picnics in the gardens. 

Afternoon tea is often available (need to book in advance) and is normally served upstairs in the Long Gallery.

There are also cafes and pubs located nearby in the village of Wentworth.

Wentworth Woodhouse tea room

Can I Visit Wentworth Woodhouse without booking a tour? 

Yes and no. You can’t visit the house, its interior, or the private gardens without a tour, so you’ll want to book a guided or self-guided tour if you want to go inside the house. But you are welcome to explore sections of the vast Wentworth Estate on your own for free.

It should be noted that the house, stables, gardens, and lawns immediately surrounding the house is owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT). However, the rest of the land (the vast estate) is owned and managed by the Fitzwilliam Wentworth Amenity Trust. This includes the bulk of the village, the historic parkland, and a number of buildings, memorials, and follies.

There are various trails and paths open to the public that go through the village and deer park. The most popular trail is probably the long-distance Trans Pennine Trail which passes through the deer park and offers a good view of the eastern front of Wentworth Woodhouse. Dogs are allowed on the estate but must be kept on a lead.

There are also several monuments and follies in the parkland that can be seen and some of the interiors (such as those of Rockingham Mausoleum) can sometimes be visited on certain days. Seasonal fishing in the ponds and lakes on the property is also possible with a permit. Check online for more information about visiting the Wentworth Estate, which is still overseen by Fitzwilliam descendants.

Can I Spend the Night at Wentworth Woodhouse?

No, currently there are no accommodation options available at Wentworth Woodhouse. However, the Trust does plan to restore, decorate and open up a small section of the mansion as holiday lets or as a bed-and-breakfast in the future.

If you want to stay within walking distance of Wentworth Woodhouse, the Rockingham Arms in the village is only about a 15 minute walk away.

Hotels near Wentworth Woodhouse?

There are only a couple of options in Wentworth itself, but there are a lot of accommodation options in nearby villages and towns. These vary from budget hotels and B&Bs to luxury country house hotels. You can check out available options here .

Here are a few options within a 10 mile drive of Wentworth Woodhouse:

  • Rockingham Arms in Wentworth – This small inn offers rooms within Wentworth village with free parking and meals available at the pub located on-site. Bus stop is located just next to hotel. Located within a 15 minute walk from Wentworth Woodhouse.
  • Whitley Hall Hotel in Chapeltown – This 4-star luxury hotel is situated in a 16th-century mansion surrounded by gardens, and offers an on-site bar and restaurant and free parking. Located about 3 miles from Wentworth Woodhouse.
  • The Fitzwilliam Arms Hotel in Rotherham – This 3-star hotel offers free parking and an on-site bar and restaurant. Note that this place can be noisy on nights that it is hosting events. Located about 4 miles from Wentworth Woodhouse.
  • Best Western Plus Pastures Hotel in Doncaster – This 3-star hotel offers modern rooms, an on-site bar and restaurant, and free parking. Located about 7 miles from Wentworth Woodhouse.
  • Holiday Inn Express in Sheffield – This 3-star hotel offers modern rooms, flat-screen TVs, an on-site bar and restaurant, free breakfast, and free access to an adjacent fitness room and sauna. There is a small charge for parking. Located within walking distance of Sheffield central city center attractions. Located about 7 miles from Wentworth Woodhouse.
  • Hellaby Hall in Hellaby – This 4-star hotel offers guests large comfortable rooms, an on-site bar and restaurant, a spa, a gym, a leisure center, and free parking. Some of the rooms are located in the 17th-century manor house and the rest are located in a modern part of the hotel. Located about 8 miles from Wentworth Woodhouse.

If you are looking for a self-catering apartment or holiday home, you can check listings on VRBO , listings on Booking , and listings on Plum Guide for options in the area. You can also see this guide to booking holiday homes in the UK and Ireland for more options.

How to Find out more Information about Wentworth Woodhouse? 

To find out more information about visiting the house, you can explore their official website  or give them a call.

If you want to learn more about this intriguing house and its inhabitants, there are a number of books about Wentworth Woodhouse that you can read. I can personally recommend the informative but entertaining book Black Diamonds: The Rise and Fall of an English Dynasty   by Catherine Bailey. I read this book back when it came out and it is the book that initially got me interested in exploring Wentworth Woodhouse.

The book not only provides a good history of the house and family, but gives a good insight into the British coal industry, the tough lives of the families that lived in the pit villages, and the divisive class struggles that took place in 19th and 20th century England. 

Other books recommended by Wentworth Woodhouse staff include   The Country House Revealed (2011) by Dan Cruickshank (BBC also turned this into a 6-part miniseries with one episode devoted to Wentworth Woodhouse), Wentworth Woodhouse: The House, the Estate, and The Family (2021), and their own Wentworth Woodhouse guide book (sold in their gift shop).

Other Nearby Places to Visit with a Wentworth Connection?

You can easily spend a day or two in the area visiting places connected to the Wentworth family and Wentworth Woodhouse.

The easiest to explore is the wider Wentworth Estate. I would definitely encourage you to allow extra time to walk around and explore the Wentworth Estate with its large amount of parkland, lakes, and interesting follies. Just be sure to stay on the public footpaths. Dogs are permitted if kept on a lead at all times.

The village of Wentworth is also an easy place to explore on foot before or after a visit to Wentworth Woodhouse. Here you’ll find a couple of pubs, inns, the Village Shop, and the village’s two Holy Trinity Churches (both built or rebuilt by the Wentworth family). Many members of the Wentworth and Wentworth-Fitzwilliam family are buried in the churchyards here.

Next door to Wentworth Woodhouse you’ll find the Wentworth Garden Centre , which is set within the historical kitchen garden and pleasure garden of Wentworth Woodhouse and you can still see the walled garden here. So a great place to stop if you have time.

Nearby, you might also want to visit Wentworth Castle which was owned by a separate line of the family. The castle itself is not typically open to the public, but the gardens and parkland are often open.

The Elsecar Heritage Village is a conservation village with craft workshops and local businesses. Elsecar was once a booming center of coalmining and ironmaking built and owned by the Wentworth family. Men worked here from the late 18th century until the 1980s. It is also the site of a Newcomen steam engine which is the oldest steam engine in the world still in its original place.

In 1912, King George V, when staying at Wentworth Woodhouse, would make a descent by cage into Elsecar Main Colliery, the first time a British monarch entered a coal mine. If you visit Elsecar, we recommend heading to the visitor center for information and then you can follow a path around to learn more about the historical colliery, ironworks, workshops, and railway station.

The National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield (about 40 minutes drive from Wentworth) is a museum that tells the history of coal mining in England and is built on the site of a former colliery. You can visit the interactive museum and take a guided tour underground to better understand what it was like to work in a coal mine.

Elsecar Heritage Village Centre colliery

A Brief History of Wentworth Woodhouse

The house we see today can actually be thought of as three separate houses. The original house was built here for Thomas Wentworth, the 1st Earl of Stafford, in the 1630s. Thomas Wentworth was an advisor to King Charles I and was famously executed in 1641. The house and land passed down to his son after his death. Very little of the original house can be seen today.

Later, it would be Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquess of Rockingham, who would have the original Jacobean house rebuilt and expanded in the 1720’s in the Baroque style (this is the red brick part of the house). The English Baroque style West Front was built from about 1725-1734.

This was obviously not big or grand enough for the Wentworths who felt the Baroque style was now out of fashion, and plans were soon drawn up for an entirely new eastern wing of the house to be built in the Palladian style back-to-back with the Baroque wing. This is the part of the house that can be seen from the park and is made from sandstone. The Palladian East Front of the house was started before the West Front was even finished.

Wentworth Woodhouse Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl of Strafford

Throughout the 18th century, the house would continue to be expanded by Thomas Watson Wentworth and his son Charles Watson-Wentworth. Architects who worked on the house included possibly Inigo Jones (17th century gateway is attributed to him), Ralph Tunnicliffe (English Baroque addition), Henry Flitcroft (Palladian West front), and John Carr (additions to Palladian West front and building of the stables and numerous estate buildings and follies).

Wentworth Woodhouse would soon become the largest private home in England (and would remain so until 2017!). As a leading Whig grandee, Charles Watson-Wentworth would use the grand house as a showplace for Whig power.  

The Heyday of Wentworth Woodhouse

The house and its contents would soon pass down into the Fitzwilliam family , related by marriage, who would own the house from 1782 to 1989. By the end of the 18th century, the wealth of the family would greatly increase thanks to the discovery of vast amounts of coal from the rich Barnsley seam on their South Yorkshire land.

Although involved in several industries (e.g., iron, agriculture, pottery), it would be coal that would make the Fitzwilliam family one of the wealthiest families in England. Money was no object for this family who furnished the 300+ room house elaborately, employed about 1,000 staff members on the estate, and hosted important political figures, aristocracy, and royalty. At the death of the 6th Earl in 1902, the family’s fortune is estimated to be equivalent to £3 billion.

If you’ve seen Downton Abbey , the fictional Crawley family would have had nothing on the real-life Fitzwilliams in their heyday. In fact, it would be the 1912 royal visit of King George V and Queen Mary that would inspire the main plotline of the 2019 film Downton Abbey , and indeed Wentworth Woodhouse was used as a filming location in the movie. (The main filming location for the show and film is Highclere Castle .)

The Decline of Wentworth Woodhouse

However, less than 50 years later, the downfall of the house and the family would come in the 1940’s. Two sets of death duties and the nationalization of the coal mines would reduce the wealth of the family. To pay the death duties, the family would sell off many pieces of valuable art, furniture, and artifacts.

After the Second World War, coal was badly needed in a depressed England and there were severe shortages due to a decreased workforce and increased need. The government, specifically the Minister of Fuel and Power Manny Shinwell, who had a personal animosity against the wealthy aristocracy, ordered for the gardens of Wentworth Woodhouse to be dug up for opencast coal mining.

Although the Fitzwilliams and many others who did not want to see the gardens and house destroyed fought against the decision, the estate would become one of the largest opencast mining sites in Britain. The mining would destroy the gardens and the machines dug within feet of the house itself. In time, more than 132,000 tons of coal were dug out of the gardens and this digging would eventually lead to foundational issues of the stately home.

Perhaps the final important event in the downfall of the house and family was the unexpected death of Peter, the 8th Earl of Fitzwilliam. He would die along with his lover Kathleen Kennedy, sister of future President John F. Kennedy, in 1948. He left no male heir, so the house was passed to a much older second cousin with no children.

After the 8th Earl’s death, the family would soon turn the house over for use as an educational facility. It would be leased by the Lady Mabel College of Further Education and then Sheffield City Polytechnic until 1988. During this period, the Fitzwilliam family would still retain a suite of rooms and staff for private living use.

In 1989, the Fitzwilliams would sell the house & around 90 acres of land, but they retained control over the vast park and many of the artistic treasures taken from the house. The buyer was Wensley Haydon-Baillie, an infamous English businessman whose financial situation would steeply decline in the 1990s.

In 1999, the house was bought by Clifford Newbold, who as an architect wanted to fix up the house as a retirement project and to open it back up to the public. He also had plans to convert parts of the house into a museum, a hotel, and an events venue. Newbold bought the house for only £1.5 million as although there was a lot of interest in the house, there were few serious buyers.

In 2012, Wentworth Woodhouse would be opened for the first time for public tours. Clifford Newbold would die in 2015 and the house would be put back on the market. It would be the Newbold family who would be largely responsible for opening up the house to the public, seeking reparations from the Coal Authority for the damage from the opencast mining, and fighting for the future preservation of this house. 

The house would remain a private house until 2017 when it was sold by the Newbold family to the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust.

A New Future for Wentworth Woodhouse

Life is being breathed back into Wentworth Woodhouse once again. Although the house is believed to need at least an estimated £42 million for repairs and restoration, great gains have been made recently.

After a long legal fight with the UK Coal Authority, it was announced in November 2016, that the government would award £7.6 million towards restoration for the damage done by the Labour government after WWII.

In 2017, the house was sold to the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust for £7 million. The Trust plans to raise funds to restore and preserve the house and keep it open to the public. I n 2017, Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust received a grant of £3.5million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

In 2017, the National Trust also announced it would be helping to collaborate in preserving the historic home, saying “Our partnership at Wentworth Woodhouse includes financial support over three years and operational support over six years. We’ll be advising on areas such as presentation, visitor services, opening hours, visitor experience, volunteer management and marketing.” The positive impact of the National Trust was definitely visible on our most recent visit.

In 2019, substantial repairs and restoration to the building started, including repairing the roof. Now that the house is watertight, it has allowed for restoration and conservation work to move forward inside the house. Restoration works are likely to continue for many years as long as the Trust has enough funds to keep moving forward with its plans.

In recent years, a lot more visitor events have started taking place at Wentworth Woodhouse, including concerts, classic car shows, author talks, bridal shows, film screenings, fundraising events, afternoon teas, holiday craft markets, etc. There has also been an increase in weddings, corporate events, and other private events.

Based on our two visits in 2016 and then again in 2021, we’ve seen lots of improvements in the facilities and public access areas including the tea room, food options, gift shop, toilets, check-in area, and gardens. There are also a lot more tour options, tons more staff and volunteers, and a much better website.

The Trust has lots of plans of future work and improvements over the house that should hopefully come to fruition over the coming years including a new parking lot, turning the Camelia House into a restaurant, and turning the Stables into an events venue.

The house has a long road ahead as it is in great need of substantial repairs but it looks like it will be saved and preserved for future generations of visitors!

Jessica and Laurence Norah Wentworth Woodhouse

Interesting Facts about Wentworth Woodhouse

I loved learning about the history of Wentworth Woodhouse and the aristocratic families who lived here: the Wentworths, Watsons & Fitzwilliams. These are some interesting pieces of information we learned either during the tour, from reading Black Diamonds , or from other research .

  • The Wentworth family have owned land around the village of Wentworth since the 13th century, but the first known house here was built by Thomas Wentworth , the 1st Earl of Stafford, in the 1630s. The ill-fated Earl gained significant power as an advisor to King Charles I but would be executed in 1641 with consent by the king who wanted to appease the Parliament.
  • The Wentworth/Watson/Fitzwilliam family would have a number of inheritance issues and rivalries over the centuries. The first to concern Wentworth Woodhouse was when William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford, died in 1695. Instead of leaving it to the expected Thomas Wentworth, it went to a cousin Thomas Watson. Thomas Wentworth felt he was the rightful heir to the title and estate, and for generations the two sides of the family would compete for political and social power. This would be one of the reasons for the grandeur of Wentworth Woodhouse and nearby Stainborough Hall (later called Wentworth Castle), which were owned by the separate rival branches of the family.
  • Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, had many follies constructed on the estate in the 18th century that were designed by John Carr. One of these, a 46 ft. tall pyramid shaped folly called Needle’s Eye , is said to have been built for the Marquess to win a bet as he said he could “drive a coach and horses through an eye of a needle”. If you look closely at the folly, you’ll see a number of musket-ball holes at around head height, and it is said that it may have been used as a location for a firing squad.
  • In 1771, American statesman Benjamin Franklin would visit the north of England and Midlands, making stops at both Wentworth Woodhouse and Chatsworth.
  • A visit to Wentworth Woodhouse by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York in 1789 helped secure the social reputation of the family. Over 20,000 people congregated on the lawn at the house to witness their visit.
  • In 1835, a young Princess Victoria stayed at Wentworth Woodhouse for a few days. She wrote in her diary about the house:  “It is a very fine edifice, and is an immense house…it would be impossible for me to attempt even to give anything like a description of it.” She found it large, nicely furnished, and enjoyed exploring the estate. However, she found the custom of the house that the chaplain precedes the party to dinner as “peculiar”.
  • In 1841, over 1,000 staff were employed on the estate, working in occupations that included housekeepers, carpenters, gardeners, stablehands, gamekeepers, and even rat catchers. Tens of thousands more would be dependent on the Earl, working in the many coal pits and pit villages owned by the family.
  • The 6th Earl Fitzwilliam had eight sons, all called William, and six daughters. At his death in 1902 with so many children and a net worth of 3 billion, it would have been almost impossible to foresee the decline in family fortune and the end of the Earldom by 1979.
  • Family secrets and scandal would erupt around the succession of the 7th Earl Fitzwilliam, leading to a legal fight. It was believed that William “Billy” Fitzwilliam, son of the epileptic black sheep of the family Viscount Milton, who was born in a remote Canadian frontier cabin, was illegitimate and family members claimed he was a changeling and had no rights to the family inheritance. Billy Fittzwilliam won the case and inherited the title, but no conclusive evidence was ever produced either way.
  • The 7th Earl would modernize the house. In 1904, electricity was first installed at Wentworth Woodhouse and later central heating and running water would also come to the house. 
  • In 1912 King George V and Queen Mary stayed at Wentworth Woodhouse on a royal visit to Yorkshire to visit local coal villages and collieries. A total of 76 bedrooms were required for the royal visit and tens of thousands of people lined the streets and gathered in the park to see the royals. Special entertainment such as a performance by the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova was arranged for the king and queen.
  • During the 1912 royal visit, King George V would descend into the Elsecar coal pit (one owned by the Fitzwilliams) and did so following a tragic mining disaster at nearby Cadeby Colliery which killed 91 men . While the Fitzwilliams were generally seen as responsible and respected owners for the time, the terrible conditions of collieries and pit villages in general would lead to intense criticism and a perceived need for nationalization.
  • During World War II, Wentworth Woodhouse was used by the military, primarily the Intelligence Corps. They occupied the stable block and parts of the main house. Floorboards would be put down to cover marble floors, dust sheets would cover the furniture, art and personal objects packed away, and rooms would be padlocked to create storage areas for the family’s belongings. In 1944, Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, the 8th Earl Fitzwilliam, was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for his courage during service in World War II.
  • Following WWII, the government ordered opencast mining in the gardens next to Wentworth Woodhouse. The mining would ruin the gardens and make it very difficult for the family to live in the home, and eventually it would lead to the house’s having foundational issues.
  • The 8th Earl was well known for his drinking, gambling, and womanizing, and he was rumored to have fathered a few illegitimate children with local women of the pit villages. In 1946 Peter Wentworth began a romantic affair with the widowed American Kathleen “Kick” Cavendish , Marchioness of Hartington, sister of future U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam and Kathleen were killed in a plane crash during a thunderstorm in France in 1949. At the time, the powerful Kennedy, Fitzwilliam, and Cavendish families closed ranks to obscure the nature of their relationship in the press to avoid scandal.
  • In 1949 following the death of the 8th Earl Fitzwilliam, the family sold a significant amount of the contents from Wentworth Woodhouse, including a large amount of art and furniture. The family’s financial situation had been reduced after the payment of death duties and the recent loss of profits after the nationalization of coal in 1946.
  • T he house would then be leased to be used as an educational facility for female physical education by the Wentworth family, a decision championed by Lady Mabel Fitzwilliam, sister of the 7th Earl Fitzwilliam. The Marble Saloon, where Anna Pavlova had danced for King George V, would be used as a gymnasium and the Whistlejacket Room would be used as a dance studio! It would continue to be leased as an educational facility until 1988.
  • In 1952, a scandal about legitimacy would rock the family again upon the death of Eric Spencer Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, the 9th Earl Fitzwilliam, who died childless. A cousin, George “Toby” James Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam was the next in line to inherit; however, his mother had made claims that he had been born out of wedlock after he chose to marry someone she believed was below his class. These spiteful claims would lead to him losing a court case brought against him by members of his family, and his younger brother “Tom” (William Thomas George Wentworth-Fitzwilliam) would become the 10th Earl Fitzwilliam. 
  • In 1972, the 10th Earl had tons of family documents and records burned over a period of 3 weeks at the house, destroying vast amounts of information about the family and house. It is not known what information he destroyed or why, but it is speculated that documents related to his brother’s legitimacy may have been included.
  • The last Earl Fitzwilliam, the 10th Earl, would die at Wentworth Woodhouse in 1979 without an heir. The title Earl Fitzwilliam is now extinct. The house would be sold by the family in 1989.
  • The house was in private hands between 1989 and 2017. The house would remain the largest private home in England until 2017, when the Newbold family moved out and it was sold to the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust. The Trust owns and manages the house today.

visit Wentworth Woodhouse tour West side

What was Filmed at Wentworth Woodhouse?

Wentworth Woodhouse has appeared in a number of TV shows, movies, and documentaries. TV shows have included British TV miniseries Wives & Daughters and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel and the TV drama series Victoria and Gentlemen Jack. Films have included the award-winning Mr. Turner and Darkest Hour (the Whislejacket Room fills in for Buckingham Palace in this Winston Churchill  film).

Probably the most recent notable filming at Wentworth Woodhouse was the 2019 Downton Abbey film . The beautiful Marble Saloon was used as the Harewood House ballroom in the film. Interestingly, the film’s main plot about the king and queen visiting Downton Abbey (which is real-life Highclere Castle ) was inspired by the 1912 royal visit of King George V & Queen Mary to Wentworth Woodhouse. Julian Fellowes, the series creator, reported that he read Catherine Bailey’s book Black Diamonds and it helped him decide on the film’s main plotline.

Marble Saloon Wentworth Woodhouse Downton Abbey filming location Marble Hall ballroom

Our Wentworth Woodhouse Tour

Laurence and I have been to Wentworth Woodhouse three times now. The first time in March 2016, we only viewed the house from the park and there weren’t any tours scheduled the day we visited. But we returned later that summer and toured the house for the first time.

The first tour we did was called The Fitzwilliam Tour, which was a 2 hour tour (with a 20 minute break midway) that included the principal rooms of the house plus a guided tour of the gardens. This tour doesn’t exist anymore but is essentially the current Wentworth Tour plus a guided Garden Tour.

Our house guide on that first tour was Robert “Bob” Mortimer, a carpenter and joiner who had worked for the 10th Earl of Fitzwilliam. He has been giving tours for the house since it opened to the public. Bob still gives tours at Wentworth Woodhouse but now has his own tour called Bob’s Tour which is currently the priciest tour option on offer. We were very fortunate to have had such a knowledgeable person on our first visit! 

The main house tour includes the principal rooms of the house located in the east wing of the house. The information focuses on the time it was occupied by the Watson, Wentworth, and Fitzwilliam family members, but information was also included about the time the house was used by the Intelligence Corps during the war, its time as an educational institution, and most recently as a private residence for Wensley Haydon-Baillie and the Newbold family.

We returned to Wentworth Woodhouse in September 2021. We did the Black Diamonds tour which is one of their newest tours that lasted about 90 minutes. We booked the tour online in advance and were able to get 50% off for being National Trust members. The tour included the principal rooms of the house plus some of the areas not currently opened to the public but which were mentioned in Bailey’s book. With our tour ticket, we also got free access to the garden and we visited there after our tour.

So much had changed between our two visits, and almost all of it in a good way. Everything from the parking lot location, tour booking, tea rooms, photography policy (photography was not allowed until 2018), tour experience, gift shop, etc have changed. Both funding and time have really had a positive impact here.

On our first visit to Wentworth Woodhouse in 2016, there were only about 10 of us on that tour and there were only a few staff members in the house. At that time, the tea room/gift shop offered only tea, coffee, and packaged snacks and a few of their own printed guidebooks for sale. Back in 2016, the house was still a private residence with the Newbold family still in residence.

So it was a pleasant surprise to see so many people in the house (both visitors and staff) at the house during our recent visit in 2021. Also the expanded tea room, new gift shop, and new guest check-in areas had grown and improved so much compared to what they were in 2016. Perhaps one of the biggest changes (although not as visible) was that the house roof has been repaired and the house is now watertight (there had been leaks during our first visit and structural concerns).

Clearly, lots of changes have been made, first by the Newbolds and now by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust. The Trust has a long list of future renovations and changes planned. We are excited to see how things continue to change in the future and that more of the house is opened up and put to use, both for the local community and for visitors.

Since we’ve been a few times now and done different tours, we’ll just talk generally about our visits and the different areas of the house that you can visit here.

Wentworth Woodhouse Palladian Exterior

Instead of going straight into the house, we recommend walking around the front lawn a bit to take in the house. You are looking at the Palladian east front of the house. This section of the house is made of sandstone and was designed by architect Henry Flitcroft with later additions by John Carr.

Wentworth Woodhouse was the largest private home in the UK until it was sold to the Trust in 2017. It has the longest façade of any country home in Europe at over 600 feet in length. It is more than twice the length of Buckingham Palace; the physical footprint of the house is enormous!

If you are taking a photo, you need to be quite a distance away from the house to get it all in. As we stood in front of the Palladian east front of the house, we were struck again by the immense size and length of the house!

The main entrance and exit for the house is here and this is where you’ll go to check-in, get tickets, etc.

visit Wentworth Woodhouse tour Palladian east front

Wentworth Woodhouse Rooms

We were very excited to finally get to see inside the house. After you enter the house, you’ll find the check-in and ticketing area and an information booth. This is where you can check-in for your tour, buy tickets, get a map of the gardens, sign up to become a member, ask questions, etc.

After checking in, you’ll find yourself immediately within the grand entrance hall.  Known as the Pillared Hall, it is a grand foyer filled with a forest of pillars and neoclassical statues, leading to the main staircase. Here we got our first look at both the grandeur and immense size of this house.

The tours generally all start here in the Pillared Lobby so you’ll meet your guide here. Or if you are doing an unguided tour, you will show your ticket and be directed to begin the self-guided route of the house and/or gardens.

No matter what tour you take, you will only see a relatively small number of the rooms of the house given the massive size of this house. The house is said to have about 365 rooms and five miles of passageways! 

On our first tour, a guest asked Bob about the exact number of rooms, and he explained that is very difficult to give an exact count but noted that there are over 300 rooms. He explained that not only would it take a lot of time to try to count them all, but it is hard to classify what is a “room” given that there are anterooms, storage spaces and cupboards bigger than bedrooms, giant corridors filled with furniture and artwork, and the like. This helps explains the large discrepancy in the room count for the house given by different sources.

Even Princess Victoria during her 1835 visit couldn’t help but keep noting the “immense” size of the house despite growing up in a palace and being a guest at all the large country houses. As we made our way through a confusing series of rooms, it is easy to see how guests of the family would have gotten lost in the house! 

In fact, Catherine Bailey notes that getting lost was a common problem for guests at Wentworth Woodhouse. She wrote that “One guest, a Baron von Liebig, resorted to crumbling wafers along the route from his bedroom to the dining room so that he could find his way back after dinner. Thereafter, guests were presented with a crested silver casket containing different-coloured confetti.” It is interesting to imagine aristocratic guests leaving bread or confetti trails as they made their way from the dining room and Marble Saloon to their bedrooms!

So depending on the tour you choose, you may see slightly different rooms in the house and the tour circuit has changed over time. But if you choose the Wentworth Tour, Bob’s Tour, or the self-guided tour, you’ll be seeing the principal rooms of the house. These are some of the most impressive and restored rooms in the house. But other guided tours explore some of the other areas of the house.

Pillard Hall Wentworth Woodhouse Pillard Lobby

State Rooms

The so-called principal rooms of the house or State Rooms are the main public rooms in the house located in the east wing of the house. These rooms are spread over two floors.

The first room on most tours includes a model of the house and a short talk about the house’s architecture and layout of the house over the years. This is a helpful orientation to the house to get you started.

Like the exterior of the house, the interior decorative and architecture styles are mixed as you move around the house from Rococo to neoclassical. As mentioned earlier, the house is massive and no matter what tour you take you’ll only get to see a portion of the rooms.

Some of the tour highlights, which are included on the Wentworth Tours, are the Pillared Hall, staircase, Marble Saloon, Whistlejacket Room, Van Dyck Room, and the family chapel. The Long Gallery (if open, it is used for afternoon tea and events) is also a lovely room.

The most famous room in the house is probably the Marble Saloon (a.k.a. the Marble Hall). This 60 ft. square grand room is 40 ft. high and was designed in the Georgian style. The ceiling plasterwork by Jonathan and Joseph Rose is an impressive work of art and is reflected in the design of the multi-colored patterned marble floor. This perfectly proportioned room is surrounded by statues along the ground floor. 

The Marble Saloon is the grandest entertaining room in the house and was used for balls and performances. Laurence and I had a little dance in the rooms ourselves although I don’t think our dancing skills are quite on par with Anna Pavlova who once danced in the room during the royal visit of King George V & Queen Mary in 1912.

This grand room would be covered with wood when the military arrived during World War 2 and then soon after was used by the women’s physical education college as a gymnasium! As Bailey writes, this grand room was “filled with climbing ropes, vaulting horses and balancing beams”. There is definitely damage from its time as a gymnasium, but not nearly as much as we would have imagined. 

During our tour, we were able to see both the grand scale of the house and imagine its past grandeur as well as get a sense of the need for restoration. It is likely that more rooms will open to the public in the near future as repairs and restoration work are done to the house. Some rooms during our visit had been recently repaired and decorated to be used for TV or movie filming.

One of the things that may be striking is how little furniture and art is currently in the house. The house once contained a priceless art collection containing a number of works by Titian, Van Dyck, and Raphael.

While there are a few pieces of decor as well as a number of statues that are still in the house, most of the original art was removed by the family after World War II. It is now held in private collections or is on display at museums. Lady Juliet Tadgell , daughter of the 8th Earl Fitzwilliam, inherited a large amount of the art and it remains in her private collection.

Perhaps one of the most famous pieces of artwork associated with the house is the life-sized painting of the horse Whistlejacket by George Stubbs. The painting of the family’s Arabian racehorse was commissioned by Charles Watson-Wentworth, and is regarded as one of Stubbs’ finest equine paintings. The immense painting hung in the Whistlejacket Room but today there is only a copy at the house as the original now hangs in the National Gallery in London.

Our guide Bob explained to us that at the current time, given the need for house repairs and the money need to insure and preserve the artwork, it is not feasible for the art to be maintained at the house. However, it is hoped in the future that some of the original pieces could be loaned or donated back to the house.

Wentworth Woodhouse tour

Hidden Rooms & Other Areas of the House

While most of the tours focus on the grand principal rooms of the house, some of the other guided tours such a the Hidden Tour, Black Diamonds Tour, Lady Mabel Tour, and Conservation Tours also include other areas of the house.

These tours can be a fun peek into rooms that are not currently open to the wider public and to see the current restoration and conservation efforts. It gives you a chance to see areas of the house you may have read about, but can’t be seen on the regular tours.

Whereas some parts of the west wing (particularly the main rooms where the Newbold family lived) are in good condition and partly furnished, a lot of the rest of the house is in a fairly poor state of repair and in need of restoration. Be prepared to see hallways and rooms in fairly poor condition. Like the rest of the house, very little of the original art, furniture, and décor remain.

Some parts of the rest of the house retain their original features, but many were altered considerably by later occupants, particularly the PE college. The PE college even built additional structures onto the house, such as into one of the inner courtyards. This is a bit strange given the immense size of the house!

If you are hoping to see the original kitchen, servant quarters, and the “below the stairs” areas of the house as you may have seen in other historic homes, you won’t find much evidence of those areas here. These areas were totally altered and very little of their original state can be seen today.

It is planned that some of these areas of the house will be renovated in the future to create spaces that can be used for dining, accommodation, offices, and events in the future.

wentworth castle house tours

Wentworth Woodhouse Baroque Exterior & Courtyard

When you walk out of the back of the house to the garden, you’ll likely pass through the courtyard. Here you can view the oldest parts of the house, The garden portion of the tour begins with a walk outside to a courtyard where you can view the oldest parts of the house, including the remains of the original 17th century house and the English Baroque part of the house.

During our first visit, our guide Bob pointed out to me the outline of the original house and then how the Baroque addition was added. The gateway, or stone wellgate, here is believed to have been moved from its original spot and has been attributed to famous British architect Inigo Jones.

After you leave the courtyard, you go around the building and walk along the straight path that leads from the entrance of the West front of the house towards the garden. In front of the west side of the house once stood a 300-year-old beech-lined avenue and famous pink shale ornamental driveway and path that led to the front door of the house. Both of these were destroyed by the opencast mining that took place here following WW2.

The Baroque part of the house was built in the 1720s to expand and replace the existing Jacobean house. The Baroque style house was built of red brick by architect Ralph Tunnicliffe for Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquess of Rockingham. The English Baroque style West Front was completed in 1734; however, the Wentworths had already begun building the Palladian East front of the house even before the west front was completed!

It was believed that the Baroque style was no longer fashionable and the style was disliked by the Whigs. So the family decided to build the sandstone Palladian style eastern wing that would serve as the primary façade and entrance to the house. This is why today we have essentially two back-to-back houses built in the same period, one Baroque and one Palladian. So the Baroque part of the house became the more private “garden front” and the Palladian part of the house became the public face of the house.

The Baroque part of the house, although perhaps not as grand as the Palladian East front, is a still a great sight to behold.

visit Wentworth Woodhouse tours courtyard

Wentworth Woodhouse is definitely a house with two faces and a multitude of tales! Which side do you prefer, the grand Palladian East front (top) or the English Baroque red brick West front (bottom)? 

visit Wentworth Woodhouse tour

Wentworth Woodhouse Garden

You can access the Wentworth Woodhouse garden via the house. Garden access is generally included with guided tours and can also be purchased as a separate ticket if you just want to visit the garden. You can explore the gardens on your own, although there is sometimes a guided Garden Tour on offer.

Our first visit to the Wentworth gardens was as part of a guided tour, but when we returned in 2021, we visited it on our own after our tour.

The park here was originally laid out by Humphry Repton around 1790. Much of the gardens and the features have disappeared due to open-cast mining, breaking up of the land, and neglect, but there is still much to see here.

One of the highlights for us of the garden was the South Terrace which has a very long retaining wall with a raised area that was used for the family and guests to sit, relax, and take exercise. From here, you have a good view over the nearby park and farmland. You’ll also find the Punch Bowl (large decorative urn) and Ionic Temple here. The 18th century Ionic Temple folly is made of sandstone and features a statue of Hercules inside killing a beast.

You can wander around and see the various decorative elements of the garden, historic trees of note, the Camelia House (currently undergoing restoration), wildflower meadow, beehives, and the kitchen garden. The historic gardens at Wentworth Woodhouse have been found to include many trees which are classified as exceptionally old, large, and rare.

These gardens are where the opencast coal mining took place after WWII and the gardens are still recovering from the effects of that mining. There are a couple of photos in the house that show how close the bulldozers came to the house.

There is often a refreshment stand set up in the garden near the house that sells drinks, snacks, and ice cream. There are also deck chairs available in warmer weather.

Note that if you are interested in the gardens, you may want also want to pay a visit to the next door Garden Centre as it sits within the former historical kitchen garden and pleasure garden of Wentworth Woodhouse. You can still visit the walled garden there. 

visit Wentworth Woodhouse garden tour

Wentworth Woodhouse Stables

As you drive or walk up the driveway to Wentworth Woodhouse, one of the first things you are likely to notice is the massive Palladian stable block. The stables building is huge and it is not surprising that some visitors have stopped here, thinking they’ve reached the house!

A motto on the gate into the stables reads: “Honi soit qui mal y pense”, a common British heraldic motto, which translates to “Shame be to him who think evil of it”. 

There had been a stables building here since the 1630s, but the first was relatively small. In the 18th century, a new stables was built by the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham and designed by architect John Carr. The massive new stables complex could accommodate up to about 100 horses and was the largest private stables in the country when it was completed in 1782. It also included a riding school and accommodation for the grooms, stable boys, and house gardeners.

In later years, the stables were used as a garage, estate offices, barracks for the British Army during World War II, and as classrooms for the Lady Mabel College of Physical Education.

The Stables can be seen from the exterior (different sections are visible from both the road and from within the gardens) and the interior is sometimes open to the public. Guided tours that focus on the Stables are sometimes offered. The plan is to continue to open up these buildings and to turn them into a restaurant, retail spaces, and a large event space in the future.

visit Wentworth Woodhouse tour stables

Wentworth Woodhouse Wider Estate and Parkland

As noted earlier, much of the land around Wentworth Woodhouse (with the exception of the front lawn, gardens, and mansion) is owned and managed separately by the Fitzwilliam Wentworth Amenity Trust. So you may want to leave extra time to visit other areas of the park and village.

If you want to explore the parkland, there are a number of public footpaths. There are a number of 18th and 19th century monuments scattered throughout the area, including Needle’s Eye, the Rockingham Monument, Hoober Stand, and Keppel’s Column.

You can c heck online for more information about visiting the Wentworth Estate.

Rockingham Mausoleum Wentworth estate follies

We hope you enjoyed learning about Wentworth Woodhouse and reading about our tour of this great English house! We greatly enjoyed our tours of Wentworth Woodhouse and this is a place we hope to visit again to see the progress as more restoration is done on the house.

Wentworth Woodhouse, once home to one of the wealthiest aristocratic families in England, has been on the brink of decay and destruction in recent decades. Although there is much work to be done, the house has survived and the public has continued to show interest in preserving this architectural treasure. As one of England’s great houses, I hope it is restored and that some of the original art and furnishings can once again festoon this magnificent house.

Although the house is still not well known to the general public, I have a feeling that will change in the very near future!

visit Wentworth Woodhouse tour courtyard

We hope you enjoyed learning about Wentworth Woodhouse and coming along on our tour of this great English house!

Have you ever heard of Wentworth Woodhouse before? Would this be a place on your Yorkshire trip itinerary? If you’ve visited yourself, we’d love to hear about your experience, and as always, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have about visiting Wentworth Woodhouse. Just leave us your comments or questions in the comments below!

A complete guide to visiting Wentworth Woodhouse, the largest private house in England and one of the largest in Europe. We'll share the intriguing history of Wentworth House, how you can schedule a visit, and share our own recent tour experience! Wentworth Woodhouse is a great place to add to your Yorkshire itinerary! #WenttworthWoodhouse #Yorkshire #WentworthHouse #Wentwortht #historichomes #travel #countryhouse #England

**Disclosure: We were provided complimentary tour tickets to Wentworth Woodhouse in 2016 order to review the tour as travel writers; however, all other expenses during our trip were covered by ourselves. We fully funded our 2021 visit and tour of the house. As always, this article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. You can read more in our Ethics Code about how we accept work.**

Share this Post!

There are 50 comments on this post.

Please scroll to the end to leave a comment

Chris L Post author

November 9, 2022 at 12:17 am

Great review of Wentworth Woodhouse! Nice to catch up on the old place. I lived in nearby Thorpe Hesley when I was 8 years old and between 1976 and 1986 used to regularly “haunt” the estate on Sunday afternoon walks, looking through the windows, exploring the gardens (I loved the bear baiting pit!). The house wasn’t open in those days – but we could roam the grounds freely. Also, many a Boxing Day morning spent seeing the fox hunt leaving the Rockingham Arms. As a moody teenager (in a rock band) we even posed for photographs in the gardens – never made it to number 1 though :-). I didn’t realise the place was so beautiful inside and I’m so glad it’s getting the respect it deserves. I am definitely going back to visit ASAP! PS I’ve just ordered Black Diamonds … can’t wait. Thanks for your blog.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

November 10, 2022 at 10:09 am

So glad you enjoyed our article and photos of Wentworth Woodhouse. Nice to hear about your memories there as a child. So many people who grew up nearby have shared memories of walking around that giant park. I hope you get a chance to do a tour of the house soon, the ball room is definitely a really impressive room to see. The private gardens are also really nice, especially in the Spring/Summer.

And hope you enjoy reading Black Diamonds, a fascinating read, especially since you know the village and local area!

Best, Jessica

Kenton Post author

July 9, 2021 at 6:25 am

Wentworth Woodhouse became my favorite country house after I read the 1983 biography of President Kennedy’s sister Kathleen. She became a sensation with the British public and Aristocracy when she and her brothers & sisters came to live in the UK when their was named the new Ambassador to the Court of St Janes. She married the eldest son of the Duke of Devonshire but he was killed just 4 months later in WWII. After the war she began a love affair with Peter, the 8th Earl Fitzwilliam who was married at the time but was trying to divorce his wife when both he & Kathleen were killed in the South of France when their plane crashed during bad weather.

July 9, 2021 at 7:40 am

Yes, you are correct and as noted it was really the 8th Earl Fitzwilliam’s death that likely hastened the demise of the house (or at least partly) since he left no heirs. The house then passed to a cousin who was older and who also had no heirs.

Kathleen had a stronger connection to Chatsworth House (her husband’s family home) and that is another great country house to visit in England. She is buried at St Peter’s Church in Edensor, near Chatworth where most of the Dukes of Devonshire are buried. You can visit her grave in the churchyard there.

Jillian Bramley-Knox Post author

April 7, 2020 at 2:59 am

I have just been watching an episode of Antiques Roadshow which was held in the grounds of Wentworth House. It probably was an old series or even a re- run as I am in Australia. Before the program started Fiona did a small tour of the building. I have never heard of it and so enjoyed your blog. I found your blog very informative and great photos, it’s a pity we can’t do a virtual tour of the house. It was interesting to hear of the Kennedy connection, I had read about that part of history but never knew where they lived.

April 7, 2020 at 4:39 am

Hi Jillian,

So glad you got to see that show and found our blog about Wentworth Woodhouse. Yes, I know they had the Antiques Roadshow at Wentworth Woodhouse in 2014 and aired an episode then. I am not sure if they have returned since then or not since the house has been more open to the public. They definitely have a lot more things happening these days at the house, such as car shows, craft events, holiday parties, etc.

Likes most things here in the UK, Wentworth Woodhouse is temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. I don’t think there is a way to view it virtually, unfortunately, but I would recommend reading Black Diamonds to learn more about the house and the people who lived there if you have the chance.

I hope you have the opportunity to visit it in person someday 😉

Sharon "Matheny" Whitley Post author

February 19, 2020 at 7:30 am

I’m so glad that I came across your blog about the Wentworth Woodhouse. It’s always been my dream to visit that area. My family tree has been linked to the Wentworth’s via their U.S. branch of the family. Thomas Wentworth came to the U.S. sometime in the 1600’s. His daughter Sarah married Daniel Matheny and thus our line to the Wentworth family was established. (And it looks like their descendants are many). For so many years, I’ve wondered about the Wentworth Woodhouse story and recently decided to surf the web to see what information that I could find and to see if the home was still in place. I found the official website but was more excited when I found your blog and could get your perspective as a visitor and your historical perspective. My husband and I are hoping to get over to the UK next year so I may persuade him to make a side trip to visit this site. Thank you!!!!!

February 19, 2020 at 9:18 am

That’s really interesting, I don’t know much about the American line of the family. Lady Juliet Tadgell (and her children) is the direct descendant of those that owned the house and she is the last person still living that once lived there. She still lives in the UK but hasn’t lived in the house since she was a child.

If you haven’t read Black Diamonds, I highly recommend reading it as I think you’ll find it interesting about the family and history of the house. It was the book that got me really interested in visiting the house.

I hope that if you visit the UK next year that you have a chance to visit Wentworth Woodhouse. It is a bit out of the way, depending on where you might be interested in going, but definitely worth a visit if you are in northern England.

Catherine Wentworth Post author

March 9, 2019 at 11:00 pm

Thank you for your detailed post about Wentworth Woodhouse. I’ve long wanted to visit the house and castle but something else always got in the way. Plus, I’m usually in the UK in December which isn’t the greatest month to head in that direction. Anyway, it looks like it’s going to finally happen this year, hence Googling and finding your informative post. Nice job. I’ll be sure to read it again shortly before my trip.

March 10, 2019 at 8:16 am

Hi Catherine, I hope you do get a chance to visit Wentworth House and Wentworth Castle this year! Now, the castle is I think currently closed to the public, but it is hoped that the Wentworth Castle gardens will reopen this summer. So do check the website and schedule closer to the time as restoration efforts are ongoing at both sites. Best, Jessica

stephen cox Post author

January 17, 2019 at 2:47 pm

Having discovered whilst researching my family tree that I’m related to the Wentworth family through marriage (my cousin Sarah Cox married William Charles Wentworth – part of the Australian branch of the Wentworth family – and very famous in his own right as an explorer, politician in the early colony – research Vaucluse House for further info) – I have since researched a lot into Wentworth Woodhouse and the family.

Hoping to visit this summer which will be a little weird knowing the family connection – your review has done a great job of showing off all it has to offer. Thank you. ????

January 17, 2019 at 3:31 pm

Hi Stephen, So interesting, sounds like you have uncovered quite a bit of information in your genealogy research!

Yes, it does seem that the Wentworth family has a lot of connections and branches (for instance Wentworth Woodhouse and nearby Wentworth Castle were later owned by separate branches of the family). Speaking of which if Wentworth Castle & Gardens (the National Trust took it over in 2018) is re-opened to the public by your visit, I’d make a stop there as well.

Wishing you a great summer trip! Jessica

January 18, 2019 at 11:53 am

Thanks Jessica, I know William Charles visited Wentworth Woodhouse when he visited England with Sarah and went to see his cousin Earl Fitzwilliam who had supported William’s father D’Arcy Wentworth when he was in Australia as part of the colony foundation. One of D’Arcy’s homes in Australia was also called Wentworth Woodhouse in honour of the Yorkshire one.

I don’t know if you are aware but It’s been suggested by a distant cousin of mine in books he has written that D’Arcy was well known to Jane Austen (perhaps even secretly married to her) as she is also distantly related to the Wentworth family and that the character Mr D’Arcy is in recognition of the fact. Many of Jane Austen’s places and characters have their basis in the family; Wentworth, D’Arcy, Fitzwilliam Woodhouse etcetera so it’s a possibility….

Anyway thanks for the best wishes. Stephen

January 18, 2019 at 12:06 pm

Hi Stephen, Thanks for that info about the links to Australia. I have heard of the connection to Jane Austen to the Wentworth family however, the Jane Austen Society and most people do not believe there were any direct links to Wentworth Woodhouse and no evidence that Austen would have ever visited. Best, Jessica

January 18, 2019 at 12:36 pm

Indeed Jessica. I’m not here to persuade anyone of any link of course, but the 2 volume work does make interesting reading and considering most people in her life time did not know who Jane Austen even was beyond “the Author of Pride and Prejudice” as she was described when Emma was published- no one would really know beyond her own family how she lived – not even dare I say it the Jane Austen Society! – and a clandestine marriage wouldn’t have gone down well with her father Reverend Austen. As a matter of record Jane was the first great grand niece of D’Arcy Wentworths second cousin 3 times removed ha ha – I think I may even be more closely related to him than that as he was my cousins father in law! Anyway enough of that I’m not here to cause controversy. If walls could talk Wentworth Woodhouse could tell a whole library of tales! I can’t wait to visit! Best wishes Stephen

January 18, 2019 at 12:42 pm

Hi Stephen, Yes, it is indeed interesting. I am not saying there are no evidence of links between that branch of the Wentworth family and Jane Austen, but just with Wentworth Woodhouse itself as there is no evidence (that I am aware of) that she visited the house or the area. Enjoy your visit. Best, Jessica

Clare Lees Post author

January 12, 2019 at 1:25 pm

I first heard of Wentworth Woodhouse in the 1970s. We stayed with Lady Barbara Ricardo (daughter of Lady Elfrida Wharncliffe) in Wortley. However it wasn’t till a couple of years ago that i saw it from the outside, having read Black Diamonds a couple of years earlier, & managed a tour (mostly the Baroque wing) in Sept 2018. Talk about jaw dropping – photos really cannot do it justice. Thete is a lot needing to be done, but it’s good to see action being taken & the public welcomed into the house. Do visit if you can. I’m just sorry it took me 40 years!

January 12, 2019 at 1:58 pm

Hi Clare, It is great that you stayed with relatives of the Fitzwilliam Wentworth family in Wortley in the 1970’s, and then got to do a tour of Wentworth Woodhouse a few months ago! We haven’t been back to the house for a couple of years now and we’re excited to return again as they start fixing up the interiors and doing more restoration work. Definitely hope more people find out about the house and decide to do a tour here – it is a fantastic property with so much history. Best, Jessica

Chris Hale Post author

December 27, 2018 at 5:25 am

Thanks for the excellent article! I discovered your blog/website when I googled Wentworth Woodhouse having read a recent article in the Guardian.

December 27, 2018 at 6:04 am

Hi Chris, Yes, Wentworth Woodhouse has been in the news several times over the past couple of years as it has received funding and is continuing to raise funding for a big restoration program. Fingers crossed that things continue in this positive vein as Wentworth Woodhouse has so much potential as a tourism destination and to have a positive impact on the local economy. Love the history connected to the house and families who lived here which compelled us to write this visitors’ guide at a time when few people had every heard of this massive house! Best, Jessica

mbennett Post author

June 28, 2018 at 11:43 am

Thanks for posting these. Just finished reading “Black Diamonds” which ended up sounding like the wreckers ball would be the next chapter.

June 28, 2018 at 1:11 pm

Hello, Thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes, Black Diamonds was written before the house was opened up to the public, any restoration work had taken place, or it received some compensation. So good things have actually happened since. However, the house still needs a lot of work but hopefully it can be kept open and become fully functional once again in a new form. Best, Jessica

Rah-Rah Post author

May 6, 2018 at 2:21 pm

Contrary to your comments photography has been allowed in the house since the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust bought it in 2017. I am a trainee tour guide there, so I know that this is correct. Also the estimated cost of restoring the house to it’s former glory is now 200 million pounds !!!!!

May 7, 2018 at 2:33 pm

Hi Rachael, As of January 2017 when this article was written, photography was not allowed indoors (this was the policy since 2012). Thanks for that information, I just checked with Wentworth Woodhouse and they have recently updated their policy to now allow photos which is great. We have updated our post accordingly.

Unfortunately I doubt the house will ever return to its former glory as I imagine that is no longer possible but hopefully the Trust can give Wentworth Woodhouse a new life! Hope you enjoy your time as a trainee there, it is a wonderful property. Best, Jessica

Tony Post author

February 6, 2017 at 8:17 pm

Wow, looks like a fairytale house. What are the nearest larger cities to Wentworth Woodhouse? Dream of being there someday. 🙂

February 7, 2017 at 7:57 am

Hi Tony, Wentworth Woodhouse is in the village of Wentworth, but you’ll find more services in Rotherham (~ 10 min.) and even more in the larger city of Sheffield (~ 35 minute drive). For a even larger city, the nearest in Manchester (~ 1.5 hour drive) which has an airport. Hope you get a chance to visit someday! Best, Jessica

Rob & Ann Post author

January 31, 2017 at 10:44 am

You’re right – we had never heard of Wentworth Woodhouse…but we sure want to go see it now! That facade is just beautiful, and we do have a fascination with how “1%” of old lived. 😉 Looking forward to seeing this architectural beauty!

February 1, 2017 at 3:14 pm

Hi Rob & Ann, Glad that our post got your interested in visiting Wentworth Woodhouse! Best, Jessica

Bryna Post author

January 29, 2017 at 8:26 pm

Wentworth Woodhouse looks amazing! I can see why guests would have trouble finding their way back to their rooms. It’s quite funny to think of them leaving a trail of crumbs so they can find their way back!

January 30, 2017 at 3:53 am

Hi Bryna, Yes, I think some guests had to walk about 1/8 of a mile to get from the dining room to their bedroom along a series of corridors so you can imagine how easy it would be to get lost or forget which room was your own! I feel sorry for the house staff that had to go around cleaning up confetti dropped all over the ground! Best, Jessica

Ruth Post author

January 29, 2017 at 2:58 pm

This place may be private and considered a house but it surely looks like a palace to me. It is so grand and majestic! Love the elegant facade. I really enjoy reading about the places you visit. History nerds like me dream of stopping by these areas one day.

January 29, 2017 at 3:01 pm

Hi Ruth, Yes, it is amazing that anyone would ever have a private house this large! I wanted to visit here so much after reading that book, so I was so happy I was able to do so. The UK has so many fantastic old houses connected with so much history – I think you’d love visiting these places! Best, Jessica

Lolo Post author

January 29, 2017 at 7:05 am

Absolutely enthralling to read! I’ll be saving this for a future visit! I would love to visit more of these private estates the next time we are in England! Such a shame that these family homes were lost to the families as the decline of aristocracy became more predominant.

January 29, 2017 at 8:15 am

Hi Lolo, Thanks, glad you enjoyed our post! The history behind Wentworth Woodhouse is quite interesting. It is sad about the opencast coal mining which has lead to foundational issues and the fact the house has fallen into disrepair, although I think it was simply too expensive and large of a house to survive as a private residence. I look forward to seeing the future of this grand English house! ~ Jessica

Seana Turner Post author

January 29, 2017 at 5:00 am

I love this glimpse into history! For me, it is the the little details (like the 1,000 employees) that really intrigue me. Ever since Downton Abbey I’ve been fascinated by these grand old homes and the way people lived. I would adore going on this tour. It was a unique period of time with incredible stories!

January 29, 2017 at 8:02 am

Hi Seana, Yes, I think you’d love the history and tour here and may enjoy the book Black Diamonds, which gives a good history of the family and the house as well as the class war and struggles between the coal miners, aristocracy & government in that time. On the trip that we visited Wentworth Woodhouse, we also stopped at Chatsworth House (one of my favorite English houses, such beautiful interiors) and Highclere Castle (used as Downton Abbey in the TV series). Recommend all there, although there are so many great old houses in the UK! ~ Jessica

Jim Post author

January 29, 2017 at 3:21 am

I have to agree with (then) Princess Victoria, “It is a very fine edifice, and is an immense house…” Unlike her, however, you gave an excellent description of it!

January 29, 2017 at 2:47 pm

Hi Jim, haha, yes the princess did not always have the best words for describing places did she, but she was brief 😉 Glad you enjoyed our description of Wentworth Woodhouse! Jessica

Tanja Post author

January 29, 2017 at 1:32 am

Such a Beautiful house and estate! I’m sure I’ve seen Wentworth Woodhouse in a movie or two:)

January 29, 2017 at 7:59 am

Hi Tanja, Yes, you may have indeed seen Wentworth Woodhouse in a film or two, it hasn’t been used very much for films but it was in Mr. Turner and The Thirteenth Tale. Best, Jessica

Kim Post author

January 28, 2017 at 7:02 pm

I love learning about places like this! They certainly don’t make them like that anymore!

January 29, 2017 at 7:57 am

Hi Kim, No, you’re right, they certainly don’t build houses like Wentworth Woodhouse anymore and as one of the largest houses in Europe, they never built many like this! The money spent on building, furnishing, staffing, and upkeeping this house and the estate is immense, very few people in today’s world would be able to afford such a place! Jessica

Anisa Post author

January 28, 2017 at 5:38 pm

Wow! I learned so much from this post. First, I had no idea about Wentworth and then all the history. It really looks quite impressive and definitely worth taking the time to visit and tour.

January 28, 2017 at 6:33 pm

Hi Anisa, Glad you enjoyed the history of the house and hope you get a chance to visit Wentworth Woodhouse some day! ~ Jessica

Lara Dunning Post author

January 28, 2017 at 5:12 pm

What a grand home, and it looks very familiar. Now I know why. Victoria and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, I enjoy visiting historic homes when I go places so I will keep this in mind. Love the list of facts! Fun to know Ben Franklin traveled through the area. Thanks so much for sharing.

January 28, 2017 at 6:32 pm

Hi Lara, Oh, wow, I have actually never seen either of those shows, only the film Mr. Turner. I learned about Wentworth Woodhouse from reading Black Diamonds. I remember being disappointed after reading the book (back in 2010 I think) and finding out the house was privately owned and wasn’t open to the public, and then so excited last year when I found out it was open for tours 😉 There is actually talk of Black Diamonds being turned into a TV drama, similar to Downton Abbey, only based more on the real-life people at Wentworth Woodhouse. There is a lot of material for such a show and if it happens, there are going to be a lot more people visiting Wentworth Woodhouse in the future! ~ Jessica

Pauline Post author

November 27, 2017 at 10:15 am

I’m reading Black Diamonds now , and over and over again, I keep thinking…what a fantastic series or Blockbuster film it would make …and I’m only just over half way through !!

November 27, 2017 at 10:43 am

Hi Pauline! Yes, it is a very interesting and engrossing book and I am sure it will make you want to visit Wentworth Woodhouse like it did for me. I agree that it would certainly make for a great TV show or film. In fact, the option for a TV series was granted to the BBC who announced that a TV drama series would be forthcoming back in 2015. However, I have not heard anything since but hopefully they will eventually still make the show as I think it would not only make for a good series (especially in the hands of BBC) but would also help generate interest and hopefully financial support in terms of donations and tourism dollars for maintaining and improving Wentworth Woodhouse. Thanks for taking the time to comment, and enjoy the rest of Black Diamonds!! Best, Jessica

Anda Post author

January 28, 2017 at 4:15 pm

A lot of interesting facts about Wentworth Woodhouse, Jessica! Your posts are alway so comprehensive that it feels like I have already been there. This is an enormous residence, indeed. It will require a lot of funds for restorations for sure.

January 28, 2017 at 6:23 pm

Hi Anda, Yes, it is quite impressive but needs a lot of funding for repairs and restoration, but things are definitely looking much more helpful this past year with the trust purchase and funding commitment by the government. Would love to return to see the house restored! Best, Jessica

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of replies to my comment (just replies to your comment, no other e-mails, we promise!)

Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter where we share our latest travel news and tips

We only ask for your e-mail so we can verify you are human and if requested notify you of a reply. To do this, we store the data as outlined in our privacy policy . Your e-mail will not be published or used for any other reason other than those outlined above.

What a prickle…

We're sorry – it looks like something's gone wrong

House Tours at Wentworth Castle

Follow this organiser to stay informed on future events, events you might like, frozen outdoor cinema sing-a-long at wentworth woodhouse frozen outdoor cinema sing-a-long at wentworth woodhouse, grease outdoor cinema sing-a-long at wentworth woodhouse grease outdoor cinema sing-a-long at wentworth woodhouse, pretty woman outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse pretty woman outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse, mamma mia outdoor cinema extrabbaganza at wentworth woodhouse mamma mia outdoor cinema extrabbaganza at wentworth woodhouse, harry potter outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse harry potter outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse, toy story outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse toy story outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse, back to the future outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse back to the future outdoor cinema experience at wentworth woodhouse, coffee morning: the old castle coffee morning: the old castle, megaslam 2024 live tour: castleford megaslam 2024 live tour: castleford, hazlewood castle, leeds - spring 2024 wedding fayre hazlewood castle, leeds - spring 2024 wedding fayre.

Historic Houses brand

Site Search

Wentworth Woodhouse

One of England's most spectacular facades and a great survival story of the English country house.

Wentworth, South Yorkshire, S62 7TQ

Wentworth Woodhouse east front

Experience this house

  • Accessible loos
  • Accessible parking
  • Cafe / restaurant
  • Facilities for children
  • Free parking
  • Mostly wheelchair accessible
  • Parkland / open spaces
  • Picnic area
  • Wheelchair ramps/routes
  • Access statement available
  • Guide dogs welcome
  • Accessible toilets

For full details of the access arrangements at Wentworth Woodhouse, visit their website .

Start your day by exploring the 50 acres of Gardens at Wentworth Woodhouse and discover a wildflower meadow, eighteenth century follies and ancient trees as well as the Forest of Bewilderment natural play area for children.

Pause for lunch at the Butler’s Pantry Café where you will find a selection of seasonal items, light-bites and sweet treats from local suppliers. Then spend your afternoon wandering around the grand State Rooms of the House in your own time, imagining yourself perhaps at a grand ball or luxurious dinner. End your visit with a trip to the Gift Shop which stocks a range of locally-produced items.

Additionally, daily Guided Tours and weekend Afternoon Tea in the Long Gallery are available to pre-book (though these are not included in Historic Houses membership).

Currently owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, all visits contribute to the ambitious regeneration of this historic site.

Please note:  The information on the Historic Houses website is advisory, but please always check the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling.

April to October Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00am-5.00pm

November to March Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00am-4.00pm

Historic Houses members enjoy free House & Gardens tickets  at Wentworth Woodhouse, available on the door or for pre-order via our website . Tours are not included in this offer.

See the house’s own website for further information and non-member prices.

Getting here

Wentworth Woodhouse is a short journey from Junction 35 of the M1. For sat nav users, use postcode S62 7TQ. The entrance to Wentworth Woodhouse is accessed off Cortworth Lane, directly opposite the end of Clayfield Lane. On-site parking is available free of charge.

By Public Transport:

There are regular bus services to the village of Wentworth and train stations at Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster, all with linking bus services (some may require a change to get to the village). Once in the village the walk to the house is around a quarter of a mile.

wentworth castle house tours

Following local government reorganisation in 1974, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council became the lessee and the property was taken over as a student campus, for Sheffield Polytechnic College (now Sheffield Hallam University). Faced with mounting costs, Rotherham paid to surrender the lease in 1988. The house and 87 acres of grounds and parkland, were sold to W.G. Haydon-Baillie, in 1989. In 1998, the property went back onto the open market and was bought by the Newbold family in 1999, who continued in residence until 2017, when the property was purchased by Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, on behalf of the nation.

Forthcoming events

wentworth castle house tours

Daffodil Season

wentworth castle house tours

Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea

wentworth castle house tours

Flora, Fauna & Feasting Exhibition

wentworth castle house tours

Swing Through the Decades

wentworth castle house tours

Easter Holidays

Other historic houses members can visit nearby.

Renishaw Hall & Gardens water fountain

Renishaw Hall & Gardens

Eckington, Derbyshire, S21 3WB

  • $icon->name

Temple Newsam in Leeds

Temple Newsam House

Leeds, Yorkshire

Eyam Hall, Derbyshire

Church Street, Eyam, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 5QW

Other useful links

Belvoir Castle exterior credit Nick Fry

The 24 Best Places to Visit in the East Midlands

Hever Castle 2022 Daffodils in Kent

Gift Membership

Become a historic houses member.

Explore the nation’s heritage from just £68 per year.

Hundreds of the most beautiful historic houses, castles, and gardens across Britain offer our members free entry.

Also: receive a quarterly magazine, enjoy monthly online lectures, get exclusive invitations to buy tickets for behind-the-scenes tours, and take up a range of special offers on holidays, books, and other products you might like.

Wentworth Woodhouse Corridor

Sign up for our newsletter

Read more of our stories, receive exclusive content, and find out what’s on.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our privacy policy .

" * " indicates required fields

Member Login

Forgotten your password?

Register to login

All members (except house and corporate members) need to register for an online account to be able to log in to the site. If you are a house or corporate member, contact our offices.

If you have already registered an account and still can’t login, try setting a new password by clicking ‘Forgotten your password’.

Not yet a member?

In order to view our online lectures and other members-only content, and access hundreds of Historic Houses for free, you’ll first need to become a member.

Get a FREE Essential Travel Apps and Websites Checklist!

Kitti Around the World Logo

How to Spend a Day at Wentworth Castle Gardens

Would you like to spend a few hours strolling through some beautiful formal gardens, learning about history and also seeing the ruins of a fake castle? If so, then make sure you visit Wentworth Castle Gardens.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if you click a link and purchase something. Clicking these links won’t cost you anything, but it will help us to keep this site up and running! Learn more about our affiliate policy.

wentworth castle house tours

Table of Contents

About Wentworth Castle Gardens

Located near Barnsley in South Yorkshire, Wentworth Castle Gardens is the only Grade I listed park and gardens in South Yorkshire. Once the home of the Earls of Strafford, open only to the privileged, it’s now home to the Northern College providing people with new educational opportunities and perspectives.

Between 2001 and 2019, Wentworth Heritage Trust managed the estate. However, due to a funding crisis it closed its doors in 2017. As an effort to reopen the gardens to the public, the National Trust formed a partnership with Northern College and Barnsley Council in September 2018. In June 2019 Wentworth Castle Gardens and parkland was once again opened to visitors.

Behind Wentworth Castle Gardens is the story of the Wentworth family’s heated rivalry. The Wentworth’s were a very important family in Yorkshire and Thomas Wentworth was expected to inherit Wentworth Woodhouse. However, in 1695 his cousin inherited the family fortune instead of him.

Seeking revenge, Thomas, using his skills as a soldier and diplomat, bought an estate only a few miles away from Wentworth Woodhouse. He extended it and renamed it Stainborough at first then renamed it again to Wentworth in 1731. He even built a fake ruin called Stainborough Castle which was constructed as a garden folly. In 1711 he even gained the old family title back and became the 1st Earl of Strafford. 

Unfortunately, Thomas Wentworth’s wealth is linked to the slave trade. Thomas was actually one of the principal negotiators of the Treaty of Utrecht. Even though his political career ended when the government changed he still filled his garden with symbols that reflected his political opinion. 

wentworth castle house tours

How to get to Wentworth Castle Gardens?

Wentworth Castle Garden is located approximately 3.5 miles south-west of Barnsley and about 13 miles north of Sheffield. If you arrive by car, use S75 3EN in your SatNav and also follow the signs leading you to the garden. Wentworth Castle Garden is just off the M1 and car parking is available off Lowe Lane.  It is free for National Trust members and also included in your ticket price.

If you don’t have your own car but would like to enjoy the freedom of a private vehicle, then you can always  hire a car  to get to Wentworth Castle Gardens.

By Public Transport

If you decide to use public transport there is a bus stop along Gilroyd Lane close to the Strafford Arms pub. Bus services 23a, 24, 24a and 410 operate regular services to destinations such as Barnsley, Ingbirchworth, Penistone, Stockbridge and Denby Dale. Please note that there is no access to the gardens from the Northern College bus stop along Lowe Lane.

If you arrive by train, then Dodworth railway station is located about 1.5 miles from the gardens providing services between Sheffield and Huddersfield. From there you can catch Bus 22. You can also arrive to Barnsley Interchange railway station providing services to Nottingham, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Leeds. Again, catch Bus 22 to the gardens from the station.

Make sure to plan your journey with  Trainline  which also provides information on bus fares.

Top Tip  – If you’re planning on travelling across the UK by train a lot, then  check out some Railcard options   which allow you to save some pennies on your train fares.

By bike:  If you decide to hop on your bike there are plenty of national and local cycle routes running in the vicinity of the garden.  The Trans-Pennine trail for example is approximately a 1/4 mile from the Gardens. However, bicycles are not permitted in the gardens or parkland.

wentworth castle house tours

Cost to enter Wentworth Castle Gardens

Entry fee to Wentworth Castle Gardens is £5 for adults and £2.50 for children. Further information on tickets can be found  on the website.

If you’re a member of the National Trust you can visit this stunning garden free of charge. You can read about the different kinds of membership  by clicking here.

Facilities at Wentworth Castle Gardens

Cafés and Picnic Spots  – If you’d like to grab a drink or something to eat then head to Long Barn Café which offers a good variety of hot and cold drinks, lunches and of course delicious cakes. (It is still open for takeaways.) The café actually achieved the Soil Association’s Bronze ‘Food For Life’ Award which supports sustainable catering.

If you visit the garden on a nice day I recommend bringing your own picnic with you. You can bring your own picnic blanket and find a great spot to eat anywhere on the grass within the gardens. There’s also a designated picnic area adjacent to Long Barn which you can still use. Please note that BBQs are not permitted anywhere!

Gift Shop  – Long Barn Cafe has a small selection of souvenirs.

Toilets – There are toilet facilities available behind the Conservatory. 

wentworth castle house tours

What to do and see at Wentworth Castle Gardens?

Wentworth Castle Gardens is considered one of England’s best 18th century gardens. The garden design at that time was full of symbolism and also aimed to show off the owners wealth. The estate actually owns 26 listed buildings and monuments! 

Below is the list of features you can see when exploring the estate:

1. Wentworth Castle (Northern College)

Please note that the house is closed to visitors as it houses Northern College.

Wentworth Castle’s original name was Stainborough Hall until 1708 when Thomas Wentworth purchased it and extended it. In the early 20th century the family moved out and Barnsley Council bought the property in 1948. 

Until 1978, when the Northern College was set up, it operated as a teacher training college. Today the college still offers education for adults hence it’s not open to the public. However, I think the exterior of the building still provides you with some cool photo opportunities. 

wentworth castle house tours

2. The Corinthian Temple

Overlooking the south lawn of Wentworth Castle is the Corinthian Temple. This is one of the many Grade II listed buildings in the garden. The small prostyle temple with 4 Corinthian columns was built in 1766 for the Second Earl of Strafford. It was used for spectating and relaxation during games of croquet.

wentworth castle house tours

3. The Conservatory

Just behind Wentworth Castle is the Conservatory. Built in 1885, it has many exotic and unusual plants which visitors can see. The plant collection was obviously designed to impress visitors and to show off the Wentworth family’s wealth. 

Even though it was closed at the time of our visit, we could still get a sneak peek through the big glass windows!

4. Union Jack Garden

The Union Jack Garden was created in 1713, when geometric design was very popular. To celebrate the Union of Scotland and England, the garden combines the crosses of St George and St Andrew. 

wentworth castle house tours

5. Victorian Flower Garden

Right next to the Union Jack Garden is the beautiful Victorian Flower Garden. Luckily you can walk up to a little view point on both ends of the garden and get a birds-eye view of this area. I highly recommend doing that!

wentworth castle house tours

6. Archer’s Hill Gate

If you carry on walking from the Victorian Flower Garden, you’ll soon come across a three arch opening, called Archer’s Hill Gate. It was built in 1744 by William Wentworth the 2nd Earl of Strafford. The arches frame a painting-like view so make sure to stop here for a moment. The gate is also the point where the old public road left the Wentworth Estate. 

wentworth castle house tours

7. Sun Monument

Just after Archer’s Hill Gate, you’ll see a tall monument called the Sun Monument. It’s actually one of the oldest in England, and was dedicated to a non-royal woman, called Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu. In the 1720s she developed a vaccination against smallpox, therefore the Sun Monument is a tribute to her. 

wentworth castle house tours

8. Stainborough Castle

Did you know that there’s actually ‘another’ castle on the estate? Well, it’s actually a fake castle or garden folly which Thomas Wentworth built after he purchased the estate. He wanted visitors to think that the estate had been in his family for generations. 

Stainborough was the name Thomas gave the original house on the estate when he purchased it. When he changed the name to Wentworth Castle, the name Stainborough was given to his garden folly.

He built Stainborough Castle on the highest point of the estate and planted avenues of trees leading up to it. The castle itself was built as a circular curtain wall with 4 square guard towers and a large gatehouse. 

wentworth castle house tours

9. The Fernery

After exploring Stainborough Castle, make sure to stroll along the winding path of the Fernery, located next to the Castle.

wentworth castle house tours

10. Lady Lucy’s Walk

After exploring the Fernery, make sure to walk along the avenue of lime trees called Lady Lucy’s Walk. Lady Lucy was one of the daughters of the owner during the early 18th century and apparently she haunts the gardens. The trees were replanted before the First World War. 

wentworth castle house tours

11. Deer Parkland

Once you’ve explored the beautiful Formal Gardens, I highly recommend taking a walk around the 500 acres of deer parkland. Along the 1.5 mile circular trail you’ll see grazing deer and many historic monuments along your way too. 

You start your walk by strolling down the tree-lined Great South Avenue. At the bottom of the avenue, before you carry on along the trail, head to the right into Broom Royd Wood and check out the Duke of Argy ll’s Monument. Circle back the way you came and carry on to your right through the fenced area. There will be warning signs about deer so just be cautious especially during  October, which is the rutting season, and in June when the parkland is filled with baby deer. 

If you follow the path you’ll soon reach another feature called the Rotunda. From there you can either carry on along the trail or take a quick detour into Ivas Wood to see Queen Anne’s Monument. From there you just follow the trail along The Serpentine and will reach the Palladian Bridge. After the bridge you just carry on back towards Wentworth Castle (Northern College).

wentworth castle house tours

Additional Gardens to Visit in the Area

So, if you’d like to visit other beautiful gardens and estates that are less than 1.5 hours’ drive away from Wentworth Castle Gardens then make sure to check out some of my other blog posts:

Lyme Park – The 1,400 acre estate has everything you need for a perfect day out: a glorious house filled with history, a magical garden packed with colourful flowers and unique features, a sanctuary packed with deer, many walking trails and stunning views of the surrounding area. Click here to read it.

Dunham Massey – Explore a historical country house, stroll through a beautiful garden and watch deer casually roaming around you at Dunham Massey. You can read about 6 things to do when visiting the estate by  clicking here.

Chatsworth House and Gardens  – Explore Britain’s favourite country house and thousands of acres of surrounding parkland.  Click here to read it .

Tatton Park  – Owned by the National Trust, Tatton Park is a beautiful historical estate situated to the north of Knutsford. Since the estate has a mansion, a medieval manor house, 50 acres of gardens, an animal farm and 1000 acres of deer park you can easily spend a full day there. You can read about 8 things you must do when visiting Tatton Park by  clicking here.

Quarry Bank Mill  – Learn about the history of one of the best preserved textile factories of the Industrial Revolution. Walk around the beautiful garden, explore Styal Country Park and spot planes at Manchester Airport. You can read about 7 things to do to get the most out of your visit by  clicking here.

wentworth castle house tours

Final Thoughts on Wentworth Castle Gardens

Wentworth Castle Gardens definitely gives you a taste of the extreme wealth the owners had. I definitely enjoyed walking around the garden and seeing all the different areas and learning about the significance behind the monuments and features.

Have you ever been to Wentworth Castle Gardens before? How much of the garden did you explore? What was your favourite section? Let me know in the comments below. 

Now, let your adventure begin,

wentworth castle house tours

Our Top Travel Resources

Accommodation:  For hotels we always use  Booking.com  and  Hostelworld  for hostels. We also book longer stays on Airbnb or  Vrbo.

Flights:  To find the best flight prices we always check  Skyscanner ,  Google Flights  or  WayAway.  Then we also check the airlines’ websites too for comparison.

Car Rentals:  We use  Discover Cars  when we want to rent a car as it compares local, national and international companies.

Activities:  If we book organised tours we always check either  GetYourGuide  or  Viator.

Foreign Currency:  Whenever we can we prefer to pay in local currency and for that we always use our  Wise card.   We can easily withdraw money from the ATM or pay by card at most shops and restaurants.

Travel Insurance: We never go anywhere without travel insurance. You never know what will happen on your trip, so good travel insurance like SafetyWing can protect you in case of injury, illness, theft and cancellations.

eSIM and VPN: To get data abroad we use  Airalo which is an app that allows you to download a prepaid eSIM to your phone in over 190 countries. Make sure to have a VPN to avoid hackers accessing your personal data when using public WIFI. We use  Surfshark  which is the only VPN that offers one account on unlimited devices. 

Remember…It all starts with a Pin…

wentworth castle house tours

Similar Posts

5 Things to do in Wells, Somerset, the Smallest City in England

5 Things to do in Wells, Somerset, the Smallest City in England

Finding the Trinnacle at Dovestone Reservoir

Finding the Trinnacle at Dovestone Reservoir

6 Things to Do Around Matlock and Matlock Bath

6 Things to Do Around Matlock and Matlock Bath

7 Things to See on the Isle of Portland Walk, Jurassic Coast, England

7 Things to See on the Isle of Portland Walk, Jurassic Coast, England

Hardcastle Crags Circular Walk in West Yorkshire

Hardcastle Crags Circular Walk in West Yorkshire

8 Things To Do in Tatton Park

8 Things To Do in Tatton Park

22 comments.

That looks amazing! It actually looks like the cover of a book I’m currently reading 🙂

How cool that Wentworth Gardens looks just like your book cover! What are you reading? 🙂

Omg Wentworth looks beautiful! I’m constantly kicking myself because last year we were IN WENTWORTH and didn’t visit the house and gardens!! I really want to visit when the restrictions lift because it looks incredible! The Conservatory looks especially magical! Thanks for the great guide!

Thank you Hannah, I’m so happy that I could show you another pretty place to visit. I know the feeling before we had our NT membership we used to drive past these gardens! 🙂

What a great guide! Wentworth looks so dreamy, especially the conservatory 🙂 I could totally spend the day exploring this place!

I’m glad you enjoyed my guide Olivia. Yes Wentworth is a great place to spend a full day there, so much is packed into a tiny garden!

I love how many things there are to do at this castle! I’ve had it on my list for ages but haven’t made it down there yet.

I’m so happy to hear that you had Wentworth on your list before. I really hope you can come down and explore it soon 🙂

I was in Wentworth too and I totally missed this. Next time . . .

Oh we all made the same mistake before. I hope you can come and visit it soon.

Another interesting garden. Such a shame you are not able to see all of it at the moment. Can’t wait to get out and visit these amazing places when the weather improves!

Yes this garden is definitely an interesting one and well worth a visit. I hope the restrictions will ease soon and you can have a stroll around Wentworth and learn all about its history,

What a huge and gorgeous-looking garden! I’d really love to see the deer parkland as well.

Yes the deer park is absolutely amazing especially when the baby deer are hopping around!

This is a beautiful garden! I’d love to walk Lady Lucy’s Walk – it looks dreamy!

I’m sure you’d enjoy your visit at Wentworth. Yes Lady Lucy’s Walk was pretty cool and very long too! 🙂

Wow how stunning!! Those gardens and that architecture look incredibly beautiful! I’m surprised that the entrance fee is so reasonable, for such a beautiful place I would think they would charge a ton!

Yes it’s quite cheap when compared to other entry fees around the UK, which I’m very happy about, especially because even though it’s not massive you can definitely get your money’s worth.

Oh wow! I live in Yorkshire, but I have never visited these gardens. They look very pretty, and I can’t wait to visit them once things get back to normal.

I’m so happy that you enjoyed my post and it makes you want to visit Wentworth. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your visit and hope you can go as soon as possible 🙂

I was a student at Wentworth when it was a teacher training college. My husband and I are organising a trip to Wentworth in the summer. So looking forward to it.

Wow that’s amazing, thank you for sharing your story Judith. I hope you’ll have an amazing time walking down memory lane during your visit.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Folly Flaneuse

The Folly Flaneuse

The Gothic Temple, Wentworth Castle, South Yorkshire

wentworth castle house tours

In the middle of the 18th century the Earl of Strafford was embellishing his seat at Wentworth Castle near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. A new wing was added to the mansion and the grounds were decorated with temples, columns and garden seats. Strafford asked his lifelong friend Horace Walpole for advice on an ornament for his menagerie, and this little gothic temple was the result.

wentworth castle house tours

The Menagerie, or Menagery, at Wentworth Castle (historically also known as Stainborough) was already well-established when Walpole was consulted. A substantial building, completed in 1717, provided a home for the keeper who looked after the ornamental birds and also provided a space for refreshments when Lord Strafford was taking his guests for tours of the park and gardens. In April 1738 ‘two good fires’ warmed a party who had been out exploring the estate, and an inventory of a few years later shows that the Menagerie House had a settee and cups and saucers for tea.

wentworth castle house tours

The menagerie grounds included ponds and cascades as well as homes for the birds (there is no evidence of any other animals). In 1771 there were ornamental pheasants but a poem of 1731 shows that there was an avian presence 40 years before that:

From thence with Pleasure you may see Strange Birds at the Menagerie, Some Squeek, Some Cry – Some Sing, Some Squall, Whose echo Sounds unto the hall;

In 1739 William Wentworth (1722-1791) succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Strafford of the 2nd creation. Two years later he married Lady Anne Campbell (1720-1785) and the couple’s social circle included Horace Walpole (1717-1797), creator of the gothic delight called Strawberry Hill in Twickenham. When his friends asked him to design a building for the menagerie, Walpole suggested a structure ‘in the manner of an ancient market cross’, and in particular that at Chichester in Sussex.

wentworth castle house tours

In 1756 Walpole’s friend Richard Bentley (1708-1782), a fellow member of the self-styled Committee of Taste based at Strawberry Hill, produced a drawing for Strafford’s masons and construction of the temple began soon after.

wentworth castle house tours

The menagerie was Lady Anne Strafford’s domain, and her passion for the peacocks and ornamental pheasants in the grounds led Walpole (who revered Anne as both a beauty and a wit) to refer to her as ‘the lady of the menagerie’.

wentworth castle house tours

Walpole visited in August 1760 to see the finished work and he admired the situation of the temple ‘on a high bank in the menagerie, between a pond and a vale, totally bowered over with oaks’. Walpole’s role in the design must have been pointed out to visitors as a traveller in 1761 noted ‘the Elegant Gothic temple designed by Mr Horace Walpole’.

wentworth castle house tours

Whilst Wentworth Castle was very much on the 18th century ‘tourist trail’, and is mentioned in countless travel journals, there are very few accounts of the little temple, but Arthur Young wrote a good account in 1771. He walked across a grass lawn overhung with oaks to find ‘a Gothic temple, over a little grot, which forms an arch, and together have a most pleasing effect’. Behind it was a piece of water with an island and the banks were ‘prettily planted’. The history of the chamber underneath the temple is not clear – it is not mentioned in Walpole’s correspondence and possibly pre-dates the building of the temple.

A little guidebook with the comprehensive title of  Stainborough & Rockley, their Historical Associations, and Rural Attractions was published in 1853 (this is the source of the title image). By then the Menagerie wore ‘an air of neglect’ and the shrubs and trees had run wild. Some ‘traces of its former beauty’ were still visible and these included the piece of water and the gothic temple ‘on an elevated basement’, which was ‘beautifully artistic, and of elaborate character’.

wentworth castle house tours

Wentworth Castle featured in  Country Life in 1924 when the magazine’s Architectural Editor H. Avray Tipping described the feature as ‘somewhat ruinous’, although he was referring in particular to the grotto chamber rather than the ‘mock-mediaeval frippery’ of the temple itself. During the Second World War troops were stationed at Wentworth Castle and the story goes that the temple was used for target practice.

wentworth castle house tours

Barbara Jones went to see the temple when she was researching for the first edition of Follies & Grottoes, published in 1953. She described the ‘little summerhouse’ as being ‘of the very best mid-eighteenth century gothic’, and she was saddened to learn that the building had been intact until the Second World War. When she saw it in the decade after the war the elegant pinnacles were gone – ‘wanton destruction’ was her conclusion. By the time the revised edition of her book was published in 1974 the temple was ‘only rubble’. Nikolaus Pevsner called the temple ‘the umbrello’ in the 1959 1st edition of The Buildings of England: Yorkshire the West Riding, and that name seems to have been adopted from that date.

wentworth castle house tours

The stone fragments were recorded by the National Monuments Record in 1965 and nature then covered over the remains. In 2006 Archaeological Services WYAS were commissioned to survey the collapsed structure. Happily, the masonry was found to be largely extant, and we can hope that one day the funds might be found to enable a restoration.

Much restoration work has already taken place under the auspices of the Wentworth Castle and Stainborough Castle Heritage Trust which was established in 2001. The site of the Gothic temple is not publicly accessible but a sham castle, temples, obelisks, a column and extensive gardens make a visit to Wentworth Castle (not to be confused with neighbouring Wentworth Woodhouse) more than worthwhile. The house is home to the Northern College but opens for monthly tours. In 2018 the National Trust took over the management of the gardens and park https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/wentworth-castle-gardens

No feature on Wentworth Castle is complete without a mention of the pioneering research of Dr Patrick Eyres and Dr Michael Charlesworth: their work is gratefully acknowledged.

Thanks for reading. To share any thoughts please scroll down to the comments box at the bottom of the page. If you are new to this site and would like to receive a folly story in your inbox each week please click the subscribe button.

wentworth castle house tours

Subscribing to The Folly Flaneuse ensures you will never miss a post. All you need to do is provide me with your contact information and you will automatically receive an email each Saturday when I post new content on thefollyflaneuse.com. Your email address will never be sold or shared

 You can remove yourself anytime by contacting me .

[mc4wp_form id="187"]

You might also like

wentworth castle house tours

13 thoughts on “The Gothic Temple, Wentworth Castle, South Yorkshire”

wentworth castle house tours

Gwyn Headley says:

Strafford? Where or what is/was Strafford? The current holder (who runs Canongate Publishing in Edinburgh) hasn’t got a clue.

wentworth castle house tours

Editor says:

According to Wikipedia it comes from Strafforth, a wapentake in the former West Riding. I’m sure the current holder has experienced the problem of spellcheck constantly amending Strafford to Stafford, so apologies to readers who spotted a couple of ‘Staffords’ sneak into the text, now corrected.

Now I’ve got to go and look up Wapentake.

Hello Gwyn. Providing these little challenges is all part of the service!

wentworth castle house tours

Well that is a proper Gothic horror tale

But hopefully one day there might be a happy ending!

wentworth castle house tours

Iain KS Gray says:

I recall seeing the remains of the umbrello in the grounds of the castle on our first visit there.

Good evening Iain. Yes I remember the Folly Fellowship visit well – a lot has changed since then. The restoration programme has achieved so much – a great success story.

wentworth castle house tours

Roger Taylor says:

Home to 26 listed structures, Wentworth castle is well worth a visit and house tours are currently taking place 1 day a month. The Umbrello, is one of many follies now lost, inluding Constantines Well, Rockley Woodhouse, The smoothing iron (pyramid), the ‘ruined’ city walls at Worsborough Common (though 2 towers survive), the Fishing temple (now a pile of stone on the Serpentine),Rockley Abbey farm and a gothic arch (The Needle eye, lost to the M1 along with the Cain and Able statue).

Hello Roger. Yes, a sad list of losses, but all are happily documented so at least we know something of their history (others might appear here before too long). And those buildings that survive are amongst the very best of their kind. Thank you for letting me know about the house tours, I will update the text to make that clear.

wentworth castle house tours

Simon Scott says:

Fascinating as always, particularly interested in anything Wentworth related! Like Iain, I recall that FF trip (in the 1990s I think) and being mesmerised by the quality of the stones scattered about thinking that someone will surely try to rebuild this with its Walpole connections. Hopefully one day. Have not seen your “poor condition” photo before – another great find. Two questions relating to Wentworth Castle: Does anyone have an interior image of the keep at Stainborough Castle showing the plasterwork? I was asked recently and was unable to assist. Also, you say “all are happily documented” but I have never seen any image of the Needle Eye that ended up under the M1. Was it photographed prior to demolition? If you have anything do please share. Two Wentworth estates and two Needle Eyes – a topic for a future blog surely!

Thank you Simon. I revisited the Gothic Temple at Wentworth Castle because I found the Barbara Jones drawing, but you have spurred me to give the whole site some more thought, although I’m very much aware that an expert team have covered the subject. Sadly the “Needle’s Eye” (I use inverted commas because this term seems to be a 19th century nickname for arches, although I am very happy to be corrected if anyone knows otherwise) remains the least known of the many wonderful landscape ornaments. It is documented in text but not visually as far as I know – but again I’m always happy to receive new information. I don’t remember seeing a photo of the interior of Stainborough Castle. The room was intact in living memory, but I’m not sure that the plasterwork had survived. Roger – can you help further?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Subscribe and never miss a post

All you need to do is provide me with your contact information and you will receive an email every time I post new content on thefollyflaneuse.com.

  • What’s On

Here at Wentworth Woodhouse, we are working hard to make our visitor experience accessible for all as we develop and regenerate the site. Use the Accessibility Toolbar below to view the website in a format that most suits your needs.

wentworth castle house tours

Want to get the most out of your visit to Wentworth Woodhouse?

Take a guided tour of the House with one of our expert guides to delve into our chequered past and learn more about interesting former residents.

House & Gardens entry is included in your Tour ticket so be sure to make the most of your visit to Wentworth Woodhouse – there’s plenty to see and explore!

wentworth castle house tours

Wentworth Tour

Selected Dates & Times

Our tour guides take you from the House’s beginnings right through to the present day.

wentworth castle house tours

Lady Mabel Tour

Join one of our ex-Lady Mabel students for a tour of the former women’s teacher training PE college.

Catherine Bailey, author of Black Diamonds

Black Diamonds Tour

Take a guided tour based on Catherine Bailey’s highly-acclaimed book.

wentworth castle house tours

Hidden Tour

Get an exclusive look at parts of the House not normally open to the public.

wentworth castle house tours

Conservation Tour

See parts of the House currently undergoing work with a member of our team.

wentworth castle house tours

Head Gardener Tours

Our Head Gardener will show the seasonal delights of our Gardens before Q&A and food in one of our Garden Cabins

wentworth castle house tours

Wentworth Castle Gardens

Please activate some Widgets.

Opening Times

Site now closed to the public

  • Buy Tickets

enjoy england logo

wentworth castle » wentworth castle

wentworth castle house tours

17 Best Moscow Tours

wentworth castle house tours

Are you planning a visit to the capital of Russia and looking for the best Moscow tours? From Red Square to the Kremlin and from world-class art to fairytale buildings, Moscow is an enchanting city that offers plenty of excitement and elegance. Its history dates back more than 800 years, and there is culture in abundance for visitors to immerse themselves in.

Make the most of your visit with 17 of the best Moscow tours that let you see everything the city and its surroundings have to offer.

1 – Guided Tour of the Moscow Metro

Guided Tour of the Moscow Metro

Moscow’s metro is world-famous, thanks to the architectural delights on offer underground stations around the capital. This guided tour of the Moscow stations, otherwise known as “the palace of the people” lasts for 1.5 hours and includes an English-speaking guide who will tell you how the Russian metro became one of the most beautiful in the world. Highlights include Mayakovskaya station with its aviation-themed mosaics.

  • Moscow metro tours

2 – Cosmonautics Museum Space Tour

Cosmonautics Museum Space Tour

Discover Cosmonautics Museum with this space tour. Dive into one of the greatest battles between the Soviet Union and the United States – the space race. Hear about the space programs of the USSR and learn about how the USSR shaped space travel and technology.

  • Cosmonautics Museum tours

3 – Guided Tour of the Kremlin

Guided Tour of the Kremlin

A Kremlin is actually a citadel in Russian towns, and Moscow’s version is, without doubt, the most famous. The Kremlin is the heartbeat of the city, and this guided tour takes you to the most important points of interest. See Cathedral Square with its orthodox temples; Tzar Cannon with its 890mm calibre, which is the largest in the world; and the exterior of the all-important government buildings that are located within the Kremlin’s walls.

Click here to learn how to book Kremlin tickets .

  • Kremlin tours

4 – Moscow City Walking Tour

Moscow City Walking Tour

One of the best Moscow tours for seeing everything the city has to offer, this small-group walking tour lasts for 2 hours and includes an expert guide. Make the most of the capital and see the cobbled spaces of Red Square, take pictures of St Basil’s Cathedral, visit the elegant Bolshoi Theatre, and enjoy the ornamental Alexandrovsky Garden.

  • Moscow walking tours

5 – Night Tour of Moscow

Night Tour of Moscow

When the sun sets, the fun begins – and it all starts with a night tour of Russia’s most famous city. The beauty of Moscow comes into full effect after hours, as iconic buildings like St Basil’s Cathedral illuminate against the night sky. Other locations on this tour include the Moscow River and the Ukraine Hotel, which is a landmark skyscraper that was constructed during the era of Stalin.

6 – Sergiev Posad Day Trip

Sergiev Posad Day Trip

One of the best Moscow tours that take you outside of the city, the Sergiev Posad day trip provides the opportunity to see The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. It’s made up of a number of different buildings that include the blue domes of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Church of St. Sergius and the Bell Tower.

  • Sergiev Posad day trips from Moscow

7 – City Sightseeing Moscow Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Optional Cruise

City Sightseeing Moscow Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Optional Cruise

If your time in Moscow is limited, this hop-on, hop-off bus tour is ideal – and it even features an optional cruise on the river. Choose between a 2 and 3-day ticket and see famous landmarks like Red Square, the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theatre from an open-top panoramic bus with informative audio commentary. Take your experience to the next level by upgrading to a boat tour.

  • Moscow hop on hop off bus tours

8 – Guided Tour of the Tretyakov Gallery

Guided Tour of the Tretyakov Gallery

As one of the world’s most important galleries, the Tretyakov Gallery is a must-see for any art lovers and is one of the best Moscow tours for culture vultures. Learn about the masterworks of Pablo Tretyakov with a guided tour and discover the secrets behind the paintings. Other noticeable artists on view include Fedotov, Vasnetsov, Rokotov and Kiprenski, who is the author of the famous “Portrait of Alexander Pushkin”.

  • Tretyakov Gallery tours

9 – Alternative Moscow: 2-Hour Walking Tour

Alternative Moscow: 2-Hour Walking Tour

See a different side of Moscow with this 2-hour alternative tour. An expert guide will take you around quirky streets, suburbs and squares while as your veer away from the traditional tourist hotspots. Highlights include a ride on the famous “Annushka” tram and a visit to the neighbourhood of Khitrovka, which was once known as the criminal district of the city.

10 – St.Basil’s Cathedral and Red Square: Private Tour and Ticket

St.Basil's Cathedral and Red Square: Private Tour and Ticket

Combine two of Moscow’s biggest attractions with a visit to Red Square and St.Basil’s Cathedral. Admire the beautiful architecture of St.Basil’s Cathedral from inside and out, before wandering Red Square and learn about the soldiers, farmers and revolutionaries that all called this famous square their home. Round things off with the changing of the guard at Alexander Garden.

  • Red Square tours

11 – Bunker-42 Cold War Museum Guided Tour

Bunker-42 Cold War Museum Guided Tour

Moscow is notorious for the Cold War, which lasted for about 45 years between 1945 and 1990. Head to the world-famous Bunker-42, located 65 meters below ground level, and learn about the storied past. Visit rooms and passages that were set up to shelter 3,000 people in case of nuclear attack and discover other sections, such as the equipment room and the war-proof telecommunications system.

  • Bunker-42 Cold War Museum tours

12 – Architecture Tour of Moscow’s Metro and Kolomenskoye Estate

Architecture Tour of Moscow's Metro and Kolomenskoye Estate

Combine the beauty of the metro stations with the Kolomenskoye Estate and see some of Moscow’s grandest sights. After visiting the elegant metro stations, it’s time to go to the Kolomenskoye Estate, which is filled with UNESCO-listed sites that are dedicated to Tsar Peter the Great.

  • Kolomenskoye tours

13 – Tour of Soviet Moscow

Tour of Soviet Moscow

Unpick the history of the USSR with one of the best Moscow tours for discovering Soviet Moscow. Starting at Monument to the Conquerors of Space, a tribute to the success of the Soviet space programme, the tour includes historical landmarks and interesting tidbits about Soviet Russia. There is also a visit to the All-Russia Exhibition Centre (VDNKh), a site that was constructed under the aegis of the USSR in tribute to state achievements.

14 – Moscow: 2.5-Hour Luxury River Cruise with Dining Option

Moscow: 2.5-Hour Luxury River Cruise with Dining Option

Sail down the Moscow River on this 2.5 hour tour that provides a different perspective of the city and includes landmark sights. The boat features two decks and has panoramic views as well as free Wi-Fi access. Attractions along the route include Ukraine hotel, Sparrow Hills, Christ the Saviour Cathedral, Crimean Bridge, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Zaryadye Park and more.

  • Moscow boat tours

15 – Izmailovo Market and Vodka Museum Tour

Izmailovo Market and Vodka Museum Tour

Visit the museum of Vodka and gain insight into one of Russia’s most famous exports and head to the Izmailovo antique and handicraft market to find a gem or two. The tour starts with Izmailovo market, which features the iconic matryoshka dolls, fur hats and amber jewellery. Next up is a trip to the Museum of Vodka, where you will discover a distillery that dates back to the 15th century.

  • Izmailovo market tours

16 – Súzdal and Vladímir Day Tour

Súzdal and Vladímir Day Tour

Discover Russia’s famous “Golden Ring” on this tour of two medieval cities outside of Moscow. The historic city of Vladimir is first up with its Golden Gate, which is an ancient city-fortress that dates back to the 13th century. Next up is the neighbouring town of Suzdal, which features historic architecture and the Kremlin, where you can see its striking white walls topped with blue domes.

  • Suzdal & Vladimir tours from Moscow

17- Moscow Food Tasting & Walking Tour

Moscow Food Tasting & Walking Tour

Sample the unique flavours of Moscow with this food tour that lasts for 3 hours and features more than 15 different food and drink tastings. Weave in and out of small alleys in the city centre while enjoying the best food spots in town. See Moscow like a local while trying classic dishes from local breakfast haunts, bustling markets, the oldest monastery in Moscow, and dumpling cafes where you can taste authentic dumplings and enjoy local coffee.

  • Moscow food tours

Moscow Voyager

Moscow’s best free city tour

wentworth castle house tours

I love Moscow – this charming metropolis, its people, its history and its unique cityscape. I would like to share my passion for this city with you. It is my job to show you the most exciting corners of this fascinating metropolis. That’s why, as a travel specialist and your private tour guide Moscow in Russia, I organize a guided free city tour Moscow – so that everyone, regardless of their budget, would be able to enjoy the insider’s view of Moscow.

You get to see what only Moscow residents know and what other tourist guides keep from you. I am a licensed travel specialist in Russia and would like you to enjoy all facets of the capital of the largest country in the world, without demanding any money from you. I’ll show you the city on my free Moscow walking tour for 1.5-hours on foot.

Everything you need to know:

  • My tours take place daily by arrangement, I am the only English-speaking licensed tourist guide Moscow, who offers a free city tour.
  • My 1.5-hour free tours Moscow do not cost you a cent, I also offer other great paid tours as well.
  • I am an experienced local, I make the tours informative, but at the same time relaxed and not off the plane.

wentworth castle house tours

Free Tours Moscow – Daily

My free tours Moscow city starts on Slavonic Square (Kitay-Gorod Metro Station), passes the world-famous St. Basil’s Cathedral, which was built by Ivan the Terrible on the south side of Red Square in the 16th century and where the tsars were once crowned. Then it goes across the Red Square at the Lenin Mausoleum, the luxury department store GUM and with a view of the Kremlin towards the historical museum. Of course, you will also learn more about the stories that once happened behind the thick walls of the Kremlin – from the Tsars and Napoleon to Stalin. Then we continue through the idyllic Alexander Garden.

wentworth castle house tours

An advance booking is required!

Practical information:

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 1.5 hours Price: Free Language: English

«First acquaintance with Moscow» – a 2.5-hour city tour in the center of Moscow

This Moscow city tour starts on the Theater Square, past Lubyanka Square and the KGB-building, then through Kitay Gorod district and Varvarka Street, past the world-famous St. Basil’s Cathedral. Then it goes across Zarjadje Park, over Red Square at the Lenin Mausoleum, the GUM-department store and towards the Historical Museum. We walk through the Alexander Garden.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2.5 hours Price: 17 $ Students and children: 6 $ Language: English

A 3.5-hour car/bus tour of Moscow.

This is the best tour of Moscow city as all the important sights are visited. I am your Moscow city guide who will walk you through the city explaining the charming history of the city. This tour begins with picking you up from the hotel. 3 breaks are offered for photographing.

First, we will visit the most famous riverside streets and bridges in the center of the city with the most beautiful views of the Kremlin and the Moskva River (e.g. the Kremlin embankment and the Great Stone Bridge).

The first photo break is made at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. We then pass by the district with numerous museums, Prechistinka Street and the district with numerous medical areas.

We again stop at the Novodevichy Convent, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the other bank of the Moskva River to click pictures.

Then we visit “Sparrow Hills” where you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city of Moscow from the observation deck. Then there are the skyscrapers of Moscow-City, the Kutuzov avenue, the New Arbat, Tverskaya Street, the world-famous Bolshoi Theater, the KGB building and Varvarka Street. Here there are ample spots to click pictures.

We then drive past the Kremlin again and finally reach Red Square. We take a short tour of Red Square and say goodbye in the Alexander Garden.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 3.5 hours Price for a group: 170-200 $ (depending on the number of travelers) Language: English

Metro tour – daily

Palaces for ordinary people – that was what Stalin promised to the people when the construction of the Moscow Metro began between the World Wars. The communist dictator hadn’t promised too much. No other underground system in the world can boast such spectacular architecture – chandeliers, decorations, stucco, paintings on the walls – each station is individually designed. No wonder that Moscow residents love their metro. I will guide you through the bustle of one of the busiest subways in the world and show you the most beautiful stations Moscow city has.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2 hours Price: 21 $ Students and children: 17 $ Language: English Included in the price: Metro tickets / the guided tour

Tour of Communist Moscow – every day

After the Communist October Revolution in 1918, Moscow became the capital of the Soviet Empire and was the center of socialist orbit for more than 70 years. This left its mark on Moscow, even if the USSR disintegrated more than a quarter of a century ago. The city streets are full of remnants of the communist regime and the Cold War. This is a walking tour where I will show you the most exciting places in Soviet Moscow: from the notorious KGB headquarters, also known as Lubyanka to the Karl Marx Monument to small hidden remains from the time of hammer and sickle. You will also learn about Stalin’s Great Terror political campaign and the system of the GULAG and how the USSR, the communist Russian republic, became modern Russia.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2 hours Price: 21 $ Students and children: 17 $ Language: English Included in the price: the guided tour

Alternative Moscow Tour – daily

Explore the unseen Moscow with your Moscow private guide and discover a range of sights during this alternative walking tour.  Away from the main tourist spots (in the central district of Kitay-Gorod), just a short walk from Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral, you suddenly find yourself in one of the trendiest districts of Moscow. This place not only has trendy cafes and green squares, but here you can see the most beautiful spray works (according to Albrecht Dürer), hangout-places of the youth and hipsters, as well as learn what Moscow looked like in the 19th century. Here you will also learn exciting and even bloody stories about famous gangsters, eccentric business people and legends like the wandering preacher Rasputin, who is known in Russia either as the “holy devil” or the mad monk. To learn a little more about Moscow’s culture, this is the tour for you. On my alternative tour, you will get to know Moscow away from the tourist hotspots. This tour is of 2 hours duration and you will experience the following on the tour:

  • St. John’s Hill, a quiet oasis right in the center, where time has stopped as it did in pre-Communist times
  • Khokhlovka Art Center, where Russian hipsters and street artists hang out
  • Samoskvorechye District where you can see beautiful streets and hear stories from old Moscow
Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2 hours Price: 21 $ Students and children: 17 $ Language: English Included in the price: the guided tour / tram ticket

Kremlin tour – daily (closed on Thursday)

With its 20 towers and high walls, the Kremlin rises imposingly over Red Square. This world-famous fortress with its area of ​​28 hectares is home to over 800 years of Russian history. Described as the eighth wonder of the world, this historic fortress complex is the principal symbol of Russia that sits on the banks of the Moscow River. Today the Kremlin still harbors numerous secrets and has palaces and cathedrals, surrounded by Kremlin Wall. The current wall was constructed between the 15 th  and 16 th  centuries, but the original wall was made of wood around the year 1147. The Kremlin Wall became an important symbol of Moscow’s importance in the Russian Empire. This top tourist destination attracts millions of people every year and there are various sights to see. With my Kremlin tour, you will see the oldest square in the city in the heart of the Kremlin, the once largest cannon in the world and the scene of numerous dramas – from Ivan the Terrible and Napoleon to Stalin. You cannot miss this unique experience.

An advance booking and prepayment for tickets are required.

Time: by arrangement, daily (closed on Thursday) Duration: 2 hours Price on request Students and children: on request Language: English Included in the price: Kremlin tickets / the guided tour

Moscow pub crawl – Friday / Saturday

Experience the real nightlife of Moscow with my Moscow Pub Crawl and enjoy 4 pubs/bars plus 4 welcome shot drinks. Move from one bar to another and get to know travelers from around the world as well as the locals. Play fun adventure games and contests in addition to getting perks in the bars. Between the bars, move from one place to another on foot. The routes are organized as such that you will walk no more than 10 minutes between the bars. Visit the most exciting events, parties, concerts, and dance in the bars. Moscow Pub Crawl is a tour that you will never forget.

This tour runs every Friday and Saturday evening at 8 PM and you need to bring along your passport or an ID card, comfortable shoes, and wear smart casual clothes.

An advance booking and a small prepayment are required!

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 4 hours Price on request Language: English Included in the price: the guided tour, 4 shot drinks

1.5-hour boat trip on the Moskva River.

Taking a boat tour in Moscow on the Moskva River is a very pleasant experience. It allows you to know the city from a totally different perspective and admire the beautiful bridges. In this 1.5-hour river trip, you will sail past many beautiful sites in Moscow, so you can take the best photos to commemorate this day. The ship makes several stops on the way. The trip starts from the Ustinskiy Bridge near Sarjadje Park and ends at the Kiev train station.

On this Boat Trip, you can see sights such as: the former Imperial Education House, Sarjadje Park, the “flowing”, “floating” bridge, the most beautiful view of the Kremlin, the Great Stone Bridge, the legendary House on the Quay, the Christ the Savior Cathedral , the monument to Peter the Great on the ship, the central sports arena Luzhniki, the Sparrow Hills, 240 meters high Lomonosov University, the numerous architecturally spectacular skyscrapers of Moscow-City, the Novodevichy Convent, the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs etc.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 1.5 hours Price on request Language: English

A military tour – riding on tanks in Stupino (Moscow region)

Russian Military is one of the largest military forces in the world formed in 1992. With my Military Tour experience what it likes to be in the Russian military, shooting guns, ride the Tank T-34 and various models of German tanks from the Second World War, as well as armored personnel carriers and vehicles. You will also shoot from the AK-47 and another combat weapon.

The tour will begin with your private tour guide Moscow in a Soviet army van accompanied with some tasty snacks and tea for a tasty start. Upon arriving, you will have to put on the army safety clothing and climb the Russian armored vehicles. The tour will take you on the noisy, smoky tank, driving through mud roads. All participants will get the chance to drive the tank which is coordinated by the Russian military.

Time: by arrangement, daily Price on request Language: English

' src=

Alexander Popov

Welcome to Russia! My name is Alexander, I was born in Moscow and I'm a passionate tour guide. I want to share my passion for Russia and my hometown with you. On my website you will find useful information to make your individual trip to Russia as interesting as possible.

Gorky Park and Sparrow Hills: Green Lungs, place to relax and meet

The travel voucher for the russia visa, you will also like, everything you need to know about russia: included..., traveling‌ ‌in‌ ‌russia‌ ‌–‌ ‌how‌ ‌safe‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌..., choosing the best guide for a free and..., how do i exchange money in moscow, eating out in moscow, the best time to travel to russia, how do i get from moscow airports to..., the best taxi services in moscow, moscow’s top 13 – the main attractions of..., with sim card purchase in russia: use whatsapp,..., leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

@2019-2020 - Moscow Voyager. Alexander Popov

We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to use our site you accept our cookie policy. Accept Read More

COMMENTS

  1. Wentworth Castle Gardens

    Wentworth Castle Gardens. Glorious gardens, woodland and parkland, created for the privileged few and preserved for everyone to enjoy. Wentworth Castle Gardens, Park Drive, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 3EN. Opening times.

  2. Guided Tours

    Tours cost £3 per person in addition to Gardens admission. They are delivered by our informative and friendly guides who have spent many hours researching the history and stories behind the development of the house, gardens and parkland. During the summer months we also offer public garden and house tours - watch this space for the next date ...

  3. House Tours at Wentworth Castle

    Take a peek inside the grand house at the centre of the estate on a select number of volunteer-led tours through Wentworth Castle, now Northern College. The route involves several staircases. If you have additional accessibility requirements, please get in touch in advance so that we can make suitable arrangements. Tours will last 75-90 minutes.

  4. Buy House Tours at Wentworth Castle Tickets online

    Meet outside the Long Barn Café. It is 200 metres from the car park to the Café so please allow time for walking up. The majority of the tour will be inside. The 10.30am tour on 20 October and the 1.30pm tour on 17 November will be BSL signed. These need booking directly with the property. Please contact us on 01226323072 for further information.

  5. Visiting Wentworth Castle Gardens

    Stainborough Castle. This almost ancient castle is the crowning glory of a visit to Wentworth Castle Gardens. Although it looks medieval, this folly was actually completed in 1731 by Thomas Wentworth. Born out of a fierce family rivalry, the folly was designed to give the impression that the Wentworth family had lived here for centuries.

  6. House Tour- Sorry Full

    The tour begins at 2.30pm from the Long Barn Visitor Centre. Prices Adults £10.50 Children £8, and includes full admission to Wentworth Castle Gardens and car parking as well as participation in the tour. Please note there will not be time to visit the gardens after your tour so please come early to take full advantage of your ticket.

  7. About Wentworth Castle

    The house can only be visited by the public on pre-arranged tours. If you would be interested in booking on a house tour, please take a look at the events pages or contact us on 01226 776040 for the next available date. Family fun days out at Wentworth Castle Gardens, situated in the historic town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire and near to Leeds ...

  8. Visiting Wentworth Woodhouse: The Grand Home of the Earls Fitzwilliam

    The primary tour, the Wentworth Tour which visiting the main rooms of the house, is currently priced (as of October 2021) at £22 per adult (age 18+) and £12.50 per child (age 5-17). A number of additional specialty tours are also offered and these tours range in prices.

  9. Visit Wentworth Woodhouse │Yorkshire

    Wentworth Woodhouse is one of the largest Georgian houses in England, built for the 1st Marquess of Rockingham from circa 1725. Work was carried out on the house for over four decades before it was passed to the Fitzwilliam family. After years in private ownership, it was bought in 2017 by Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (registered ...

  10. Wentworth Castle

    Wentworth Castle: Horace Walpole found the south front (finished 1764) evinced "the most perfect taste in architecture". Wentworth Castle is a grade-I listed country house, the former seat of the Earls of Strafford, at Stainborough, near Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England.It is now home to the Northern College for Residential and Community Education. ...

  11. House Tours at Wentworth Castle

    Eventbrite - Wentworth Castle Gardens National Trust presents House Tours at Wentworth Castle - Friday, 16 December 2022 at National Trust - Wentworth Castle Gardens, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Find event and ticket information.

  12. Wentworth Woodhouse: One of England's Most Spectacular Facades

    Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00am-5.00pm. November to March. Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00am-4.00pm. Admission. Historic Houses members enjoy free House & Gardens tickets at Wentworth Woodhouse, available on the door or for pre-order via our website. Tours are not included in this offer. See the house's own website for further information and non-member ...

  13. How to Spend a Day at Wentworth Castle Gardens

    By Car. Wentworth Castle Garden is located approximately 3.5 miles south-west of Barnsley and about 13 miles north of Sheffield. If you arrive by car, use S75 3EN in your SatNav and also follow the signs leading you to the garden. Wentworth Castle Garden is just off the M1 and car parking is available off Lowe Lane.

  14. The Gothic Temple, Wentworth Castle, South Yorkshire

    In the middle of the 18th century the Earl of Strafford was embellishing his seat at Wentworth Castle near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. A new wing was added to the mansion and the grounds were decorated with temples, columns and garden seats. ... Wentworth castle is well worth a visit and house tours are currently taking place 1 day a month ...

  15. WENTWORTH CASTLE GARDENS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You ...

    Aug 2023. Wentworth Castle is the former seat of the Earls of Strafford. The castle is really a Palladian mansion, albeit a very magnificent mansion. The castle wasn't open for visitors on the day as it's normally used by the Northern College of Adult Residential Education.

  16. Tours

    Tours. Take a guided tour of the House with one of our expert guides to delve into our chequered past and learn more about interesting former residents. House & Gardens entry is included in your Tour ticket so be sure to make the most of your visit to Wentworth Woodhouse - there's plenty to see and explore!

  17. Just a few! A limited...

    Wentworth Castle is the mansion in... A limited number of places are available to book on this week's guided house tours of Wentworth Castle. Wentworth Castle is the mansion in the centre of the estate that is operated by...

  18. Moscow

    Price per person. 638,09. View details. About the tour Reviews 10. 8 days / 7 nights. St. Petersburg Moscow. We offer you a unique opportunity to visit Russia's two largest cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. This fascinating, week-long tour will take you to the historic Russian capitals that have always played the most important part in the ...

  19. wentworth castle

    Latest news from the Wentworth Blog. Updated statement on Wentworth Castle Gardens. John Edwards, Chair of the Wentworth Castle and Stainborough Park Heritage Trust said: "We're having encouraging and positive discussions with a view to securing a sustainable future for Wentworth Castle estate.

  20. Moscow tours and vacation packages

    Week-end Moscow0. 3 days / 2 nights. Personal arrival and departure transfers. Guide speaking your language (English, German, French, Spanish) Private car. Entrance tickets to museums. Visa support (invitation) if you book accommodation. Price from 144,67.

  21. 17 Best Moscow Tours 2024

    8 - Guided Tour of the Tretyakov Gallery. As one of the world's most important galleries, the Tretyakov Gallery is a must-see for any art lovers and is one of the best Moscow tours for culture vultures. Learn about the masterworks of Pablo Tretyakov with a guided tour and discover the secrets behind the paintings.

  22. Moscow's best free city tour

    Free Tours Moscow - Daily. Practical information: «First acquaintance with Moscow» - a 2.5-hour city tour in the center of Moscow. Practical information: A 3.5-hour car/bus tour of Moscow. Practical information: Metro tour - daily. Practical information: Tour of Communist Moscow - every day.