All about Wentworth Woodhouse

Located in South Yorkshire, in the village of Wentworth – which dates back to 1066, Wentworth Woodhouse is a vast country estate with incredible views of the surrounding parkland. In 2025 the house will host RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse, as the Show moves on from it’s previous home at Tatton Park.
 

History of the estate

The Wentworth family built up their wealth acquiring land in the area, until the mid 17^th century when Thomas Wentworth constructed a Jacobean mansion on the site of a mediaeval house. Given the title of the 1st Earl of Stafford, Wentworth was the Member of Parliament for Yorkshire and made many political enemies during his career, eventually being executed for treason in 1641. Just four years later the second Earl died without children, leading to a family feud over the inheritance of Wentworth Woodhouse which would shape the future of the estate.
 

Treason, feuds and rivalry

Rather than going through the male line of succession, the estate went to Thomas Watson, not his cousin Thomas Wentworth, who was furious not to receive what he believed to be his birth-right. Driven by anger at this injustice, Wentworth went about earning his own fortune and Earldom. He purchased Stainborough Hall Estate, just 6 miles away from Wentworth Woodhouse, which he eventually turned into Wentworth Castle. He expanded the building and gardens with features including a ‘Union Jack’ formal garden and a mock mediaeval Castle for his children to play in. Wentworth’s son (also Thomas) was a keen botanist and elevated the grounds further, employing Landscaper Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.


At Wentworth Woodhouse, Thomas Watson had not engaged with the family feud, living a relatively peaceful life, but when his son, Thomas Watson-Wentworth inherited in 1723, he took on the mantle of promoting the family’s standing. In 1725 he began work on constructing the Baroque-styled West front of the house – going on to add the vast Palladian East facade in 1735.

His son, Charles Watson-Wentworth, served two terms as Prime Minister and in his time as owner of Wentworth Woodhouse, expanded the house further with an extensive stable block. After he died, the house was inherited by his nephew, the  4^th Earl Fitzwilliam, and it remained in the family until 1989 during which time the estate housed a coal mine and later, a polytechnic. In 2017 Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust bought the estate for £7.6 million.
 

Fun facts about Wentworth Woodhouse

• The house has 300 rooms
• Until 2017 it was the largest private residence in the United Kingdom
• It has the longest country house facade in Europe
• Electricity wasn’t installed until 1904
• The house has been location to many films and TV programs including, Downton Abbey, Gentleman Jack and the BBC’s Victoria
• Benjamin Franklin visited in 1771
• In 1790 Humphry Repton was employed to landscape the grounds
• During World War II the house was the Headquarters of the Intelligence Corps

Wentworth Woodhouse is now open to the public with tours of the house and extensive gardens. Visitors to RHS Wentworth Woodhouse in July can take part in these tours for free, led by one of the many knowledgeable local volunteers, passionate to share the fascinating history of this remarkable estate.
 

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