Georgian Group Awards: The Camellia House for best ‘Re-use of a Georgian Building’
The revitalisation of The Camellia House has won a Georgian Group Award for the ‘Re-use of a Georgian building’, recognising a commitment to conserving Georgian buildings and creating new work ‘in the spirit of the Georgian era’ across the UK.
John Goodall, Architectural Editor for Country Life, says “These awards are a means both of celebrating this inheritance but also highlighting the love, care and resources that are expended on (Georgian buildings) to our universal benefit.”
As part of ongoing works to refurbish and reimagine the wider Wentworth Woodhouse estate, The Grade II*-listed Camellia House, has been transformed from a derelict shell on the Historic England ‘Heritage at Risk’ register, to a tea room accessible to all. The £5m project has seen the site upgraded into a tea house and multipurpose venue, whilst providing a climate that will protect the camellias, thought to be amongst the rarest in the Western world. The tea house opened to the public for the first time in April this year.
The project also sought to bolster South Yorkshire’s economy and community, ensuring local people can engage with heritage sites while providing employment opportunities. The Camellia House provided a setting for Historic England’s inaugural summer school, providing live-site training to 19 trainees across various heritage crafts, from stone masons, joiners and bricklayers to roofers, stained glass conservators and millwrights. 22 new local hospitality jobs have been created and of the 39 sub-contractors used, 33 of these were from Yorkshire.
The Camellia House takes a significant step in making Yorkshire’s unique heritage accessible to all, through the provision of a purpose-built Changing Places facility installed in collaboration with Muscular Dystrophy UK, one of the first for a heritage site in the UK.
The revitalisation of The Camellia House is a testament to the opportunities that lie within Georgian buildings across the country. We’re very proud to see it recognised by the prestigious Georgian Group Awards - the project has not only given this wonderful building a new lease of life, but the local community can now enjoy the rarest camellias in the Western world whilst enjoying global teas and high-quality food.
This award means so much to us. Saving the Camellia House, removing it from the Heritage At Risk Register and giving it a new life is a huge achievement.
We have future-proofed our beautiful Georgian Camellia House and enabled it to become a tea house - the very thing it was originally created for. Now everyone can come and enjoy this elegant place, and the historically important collection of camellias which can continue to thrive there.
It’s a significant step in our mission to build a financially sustainable long-term solution for Wentworth Woodhouse, so it can be enjoyed and used by local people for many years to come.
It is incredibly exciting news that the wonderful Camellia House has won a Georgian Group award. We’re very proud that, thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support the restoration project that has not only breathed new life into a beautiful venue but also safeguarded it, and the significant collection of camellias, for future generations.
Despite economic uncertainties, continuing problems with supply chains and the escalating cost of materials, these projects show just how much Georgian buildings are valued and how they can live on to serve new purposes.
This beautiful Grade II* listed building had been on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register for many years but has now been saved, and we are delighted by its success in the Georgian Group Awards.
With funding support from:
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Historic England
Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust
The Garfield Weston Foundation
Historic Houses Foundation
The Swire Charitable Trust
The Ian Addison Charitable Trust
In-kind donations and volunteer time
Project Team:
Client: Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust
Project organiser: DTS Solutions
Architect: Donald Insall Associates
Contractor: William Birch & Sons
Structural Engineer: Mason Clarke Associates
Quantity Surveyor: Rex Procter & Partners
M&E Engineer: Max Fordham
Principal Designer: Safer Sphere
Glazing: Standard Patent Glazing
Plaster specialist: Hirst Conservation
Fire consultant: Hoare Lea
Related
Dorian Proudfoot
Blooming once again: the restored Camellia House at Wentworth Woodhouse opens to the public
