The third grand country house that I've visited in the last couple of weeks was Wentworth Woodhouse, in the village of Wentworth on the outskirts of Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Locally known as ‘the House’ or ‘Wentworth House’, this is the largest private home in the UK. The east façade is the longest of any country home in Europe. At 600ft long (just over 180 metres), it is twice the length of Buckingham Palace. If you were to walk every inch of the mansion, it would take nearly two hours, as there are over five miles of corridors, and over three hundred rooms. Covering a vast 250,000ft of floorspace, this is truly one of the jewels in South Yorkshire’s crown.
The huge estate surrounding the house was founded in the 1200s, but it was from the 1700s onwards the house began to be developed into the building we now see.
In part the development of the property was the result of family rivalry with the estate of Wentworth Castle near Barnsley, with Wentworth Woodhouse emerging as the clear winner.
The wealth of the estate over recent centuries was based on coal mining. Sadly it was to be coal mining that in part led to the decline of the house. Following World War II, the coal industry was nationalised by a Labour government, who went on to develop opencast mining almost up the the house. Later the male family line died out following a plane crash which killed the last male member of the family. By 1989 the house and immediate area had to be sold.
In 2017 the building was sold to the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, which has since then begun the process of restoring the house to its former glory. Now partly open to the public, it is a fascinating building to explore, as are the gardens.
It is also a popular venue for the film industry. The rooms are mostly unfurnished, so it is much easier for film companies to adopt them to their needs.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I've been reading a development plan for Wentworth Woodhouse, which envisages restoration of the whole building for a variety of purposes, Some rooms and the gardens will be open to visitors, others will be adopted for business use, or as office space, or as long term or short term accomodation. Imagine that - being able to live in this wonderful place!
Such a fabulous building and such an interesting narrative. Hard to believe it is bigger than Buckingham Palace. I would love to take a tour in there. I imagine the money earned from the film industry helps a great deal with the restoration.
Thank you both for your comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
It is a remarkable building. I have walked passed it a number of times along a footpath that runs through the parkland and have always wondered what it was like inside - and now I've seen at least part of the interior. Although there has been great progress in restoration, there is still a long way to go, and millions of pounds will need to be spent.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I've been reading a development plan for Wentworth Woodhouse, which envisages restoration of the whole building for a variety of purposes, Some rooms and the gardens will be open to visitors, others will be adopted for business use, or as office space, or as long term or short term accomodation. Imagine that - being able to live in this wonderful place!
Ian
Thank you both for your comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
It is a remarkable building. I have walked passed it a number of times along a footpath that runs through the parkland and have always wondered what it was like inside - and now I've seen at least part of the interior. Although there has been great progress in restoration, there is still a long way to go, and millions of pounds will need to be spent.
Ian
Thank you Vesna - I was so pleased to see inside the house and explore the gardens.
Ian