A once-in-a-generation rescue

Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham

The grandest of stately homes

Wentworth Woodhouse, one of the grandest stately homes in Britain, is undergoing a multiple-phase, whole-site regeneration. Our ongoing conservation work reimagines the wider estate as a catalyst for positive change in South Yorkshire.

Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT) appointed us in 2017 to rescue the Grade I-listed building from collapse. The roof was in such poor condition that more than 60 buckets were regularly deployed to manage leaks, with the water ingress threatening the celebrated 18th-century interiors. Alongside stabilising the building, the project seeks to secure a sustainable and economically viable future for the site, which will benefit the local community.

The site is an architectural gem of national significance. The earliest parts of the house date from c. 1630 and were built for the first Earl of Strafford. They are incorporated into the rear of the west front, a Baroque building of 1725-35. Measuring 187 metres (606ft) the impressive east front is claimed to be the longest domestic façade in England. In 1734 construction started on the east front to the designs of Henry Flitcroft. Stone-faced, chastely Palladian and rigidly symmetrical, its lower wings were altered and heightened by John Carr from 1782-4.

Rear view of Wentworth Woodhouse from above.

Wentworth Woodhouse

Wentworth Woodhouse, Camellia House, and surrounding countryside landscape from above.

The Wentworth Woodhouse estate, including the Camellia House and the Stables

Emergency repairs

Completing in 2021, urgent repairs were carried out to the expansive roof – 14,000 slates covering 3,250m2 – and its decorative stone elements to address the impact of water ingress into the historic interiors.

Strict adherence to conservation principles meant restoring and repairing where possible, replacing only where necessary. Modern improvements – including a breathable roof insulation layer and better guttering and reservoir rainwater management – were inserted with great sensitivity, respecting the building’s integrity. With the roof repaired and insulated, the building is watertight, drier and more energy-efficient.

With the building stabilised, the project now focuses on securing Wentworth Woodhouse’s future by ensuring its historic outbuildings find new uses.

The Camellia House

The Camellia House, a Grade II*-listed building housing some of the rarest camellias in the Western world is now open to the public, having transformed from a heritage-at-risk to a tea room for all. The Georgian building sat derelict for five decades before being revitalised through a £5m conservation project.

The project focused on sensitively restoring and converting the Camellia House into a contemporary tearoom and multipurpose venue while providing an environment for the prized camellias to flourish. Community benefit and accessibility were at the heart of this refurbishment; 22 new local hospitality jobs were created, a memory café opened offering a space for people with dementia to socialise and a purpose-built Changing Places facility was installed in collaboration with Muscular Dystrophy UK, one of the first for a heritage site for the UK, making the site accessible to those with a wide range of physical abilities.

The Stables

Alongside works to the Camellia House, the same design team has produced RIBA Stage 1 – 4 work for the £17m redevelopment of the Grade I-listed John Carr Stables and Riding School into a national events venue, banqueting kitchen, cafe, shop, multipurpose events spaces, overnight accommodation and offices. A section of the project has been successfully awarded £5m of Levelling Up Grant funding and is currently being delivered.

Wentworth Woodhouse stables facade and fountain, before works.

Wentworth Woodhouse Stables, before works

Wentworth Woodhouse stables interior, before works.

Wentworth Woodhouse Stables, before works

With funding support from

  • Historic England
  • National Heritage Lottery Fund
  • Garfield Weston Foundation
  • Architectural Heritage Fund
  • Fitzwilliam Wentworth Amenity Trust
  • Pilgrim Trust
  • Ian Addison Charitable Foundation

Awards

  • Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) – Best Loved Building Award (2022)
  • The Camellia House – Green Apple Environment Awards – Innovation in Environmental Improvement (2023)
  • The Camellia House – RICS Regional Award – Refurbishment/Revitalisation Award (2023)
  • The Camellia House – Georgian Group Award – Re-use of Georgian Building (2024)
Full front facade of Wentworth Woodhouse.

Related projects

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Repair and refit, Grade I

Westminster Hall, Palace of Westminster

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