Wentworth Castle Gardens · Lady Lucy’s Walk This avenue of lime trees was replanted just before...

Wentworth Castle Gardens

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Wentworth Castle Gardens is a special place. Once a closed world for the privileged few, it is now open to the people of Barnsley and beyond as a place of learning and fun, reflectionandrelaxation.

The only Grade I listed parkland and gardens in South Yorkshire, it boasts 26 listed buildings and monuments.

Building on the hard work of the Wentworth Castle and Stainborough Park Heritage Trust, from 2001 to 2017, National Trust, Barnsley Council and Northern College have created a new partnership to manage and develop the site. We are working with volunteers and the local community not only to care for the gardensandparkland,butalsotofindwaysto make it a part of many more people’s lives.

In partnership with:

Welcome2


Explore the parkPut on your boots and discover historic monuments, woodland and a herd of deer in Stainborough Park. With 500 acres of parkland, you can have your own corner to yourself. Follow the pink arrows for a 1.5 mile explorer walk, no need for a map just follow the arrows.

Dogs are welcomePlease feel free to bring your dog on a short fixed lead to enjoy the gardens and parkland with you, but please don’t take dogs inside any of the buildings or playground.

Make the most of your day

Find a quiet cornerTake a stroll into the Victorian FlowerGardenandfindaquietspot where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

Let's playAsk the team for an orienteering map toexploretheUnionJackGardens,useyour imagination at Stainborough Castle orletoffsteamintheplayground.

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Stainborough CastleAfter Thomas Wentworth bought this estate in 1708, he built a fake castle on top of the hill to make visitors think it had been in his family for generations!

Don’t miss in the garden…

The ConservatoryIn 1885, this was the latestin Victorian design and technology .Itkeptexoticplants alive in the South Yorkshire climate forthefamilytoshowoffto their visitors.

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Lady Lucy’s WalkThis avenue of lime trees was replanted just before the First World War. It was named after Lady Lucy, one of the daughters of the early 18th century owner, who was said to haunt the garden.

Union Jack GardenGeometric designs were very fashionable when this gardenwasfirstcreatedin1713. It combines the crosses of St George and St Andrew tocelebratetheUnionofScotland and England.

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The Sun MonumentThis monument is probably the oldest in the country dedicated to a (then) living, non-royal woman. It is a tribute to Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu who pioneered inoculation against smallpoxinthe1720s.

Find out moreIntrigued by the stories and history at Wentworth Castle Gardens? Find out more at nationaltrust.org.uk/wentworth-castle-gardens

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Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu after Jonathan Richardson the younger


Castle Challenge!

Finished one of the challenges?Don’t forget to claim your sticker fromthe Visitor Reception before you leave.

1 Start at the front of the castle, count the number of steps it takes to walk all the way around the outside of the castle walls. Can you beat your number of steps?

2 Head into the castle and thenroll down the hill starting atthe castle walls ( just take careto avoid the stone seats!)

3 Climb up the stairs to the topof the tower. Close your eyesand listen. What can you hear?

Want to get active at the Castle? Try out the challenges below.

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Garden Map Key

1 Corinthian Temple

2 Sun Monument

3 Archer's Hill Gate

4 Stainborough Castle

5 Ha Ha Bridge

6 Conservatory

7 UnionJackGarden

8 Fernery

9 Victorian Flower Garden

10 Azalea Garden

11 Earl's Seat

12 Lady Lucy's Walk

13 Wentworth Castle (Northern College)

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Buildings

Buildings (no access)

Roads

Footpath

Refreshments

Play area

Picnic area

Car park and information

Steep drops

Dog waste bin

Café

Shop

Parkland entrance

Toilets


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During the early 20th century the family moved out and the house and gardens were bought by Barnsley Council in 1948. The housebecame a teacher training college until 1978,when Northern College was set up.

Thecollegecontinuestooffereducationalopportunities for adults all year round, so access to the building is for students only. Look out for occasional guided tours of the building or open days for anyone interested in joining a course.

From Stainborough Hallto Wentworth Castle

At the heart of the gardens is a grand house. Originally called Stainborough Hall, it was renamed Wentworth Castle after beingboughtandextendedbyThomas Wentworth from 1708. The house was further addedto by his descendants.

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Don’t miss in the parkland…

Queen Anne MonumentIn 1714 a new King of England was crowned and Thomas Wentworth lost his political power. Thisuniquetributetothepreviousqueenhintsatwhat Thomas thoughtof the change!

RotundaThe Wentworth family added many features to ‘improve’ their estate, including this 1746 building in the style of a Roman temple.

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Argy ll ColumnEver tried to impress your in-laws?In 1744 William Wentworth dedicated this monument to his father-in-law,the2ndDukeofArgy ll.

Ivas WoodCoal mining provided local employmentandhugeprofitsforthe Wentworth family. It also left major environmental impacts.These woodlands were replantedto ‘re-green’ the area in the later 20th century.

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1 DukeofArgy ll'sMonument

2 Queen Anne's Monument

3 Rotunda

4 Palladian Bridge

5 Stainborough Castle

6 Wentworth Castle (Northern College)

Café

Parkland Map Key

Roads

Footpath

1.5 mile parkland explorerwalk

Water

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Parkland entrance/exit

Shop

Toilets

Car park andinformation

Dog waste bin

Buildings(no access)


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Find out more: gardens and parkland

Later, Thomas’ son William changed the parkland design from a classic 18th century English landscape garden to a new fashionable natural style. This swept away many formal features in favour of a softer look.

Fashionable gardeningThe original gardens, designed by Thomas Wentworth in the early 18th Century, used geometric patterns.AnexampleistheunusualUnionJackGardens. This was known as a formal wilderness. In 18th century gardens, ‘wilderness’ meant a private place where a person could be alone to read poetry, think or have some privacy.

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The garden also holds three National Plant Collections established in the 1980s;Camelliaxwilliamsiicultivars,hardyRhododendron and Magnolia. The aim of the collection is to document these special plants and conserve them for the future.

Special plants and treesThe plant collection at Wentworth was designed to impress and contains manyunusualandsignificantplants.Youcanfindcharacterfultreeslikethe gnarled Sweet Chestnut at the centreofthenorthUnionJackGardenor head to the conservatory to learn moreabouttheexoticplants.

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Gardening to impress

Landscape design in the 18th century was also oftenfullofsymbolism.Itshowedoffthetasteandlearning of the owner. In Wentworth Castle Garden’s case there were also hidden political messages —for those who could read them...

Later features like the Victorian Conservatory were alsovastlyexpensivestatussymbols.Theywerecostlytobuildandtorun,theequivalentofhavingaprivateplaneorluxuryyachttoday.

The parkland at Wentworth is a displayofextremewealth.Thomasand William had the money to create a fantasy landscape of temples, water features, avenues and woods. This is gardening on a grand scale.

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People

Sir Thomas Wentworth by Paul Karl Leygebe

The Wentworth family rivalryAt the heart of Wentworth Castle Gardens is a story of bitter family rivalry.

The Wentworths were one of the most important families in Yorkshire. Thomas Wentworth(1672–1739)expectedtoinherit the family fortune and home at Wentworth Woodhouse, but in 1695 his hopes were dashed when they instead passed to his cousin.

Infuriated, Thomas used his skills as a successful soldier and diplomat to plot revenge. Within a fewyearshehadbought,extendedandrenamedthishouseandestate,justsixmilesawayfromWentworth Woodhouse. In 1711 he was even able toacquiretheoldfamilytitle,theEarldomofStrafford—alltooutshinehis“obnoxiousrelative”.

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His father had been Principal of Ruskin CollegeinOxford,foundedin1899togiveworking class men access to university. During the Second World War, Michael worked helping refugees in Italy and Yugoslavia.Thisbackgroundandexperienceinspired his drive to help empower people to shape their own futures.

Michael Barratt-Brown and Northern CollegeMichaelBarratt-Brown(1918–2015)wasaneconomist, teacher and social activist whowasfirstPrincipalofNorthernCollegein1978.LaterhewasalsoinvolvedincreatingthefirstBritish Fairtrade organisation.

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Growing people and plantsAfter the Second World War, the British government made a huge investment in improving education for all. New colleges were set up by many local councils, often in unwanted country houses such as here at Wentworth Castle. This college specialised in training female primary and nursery teachers. The gardens were also used by Barnsley Council to grow plants.

Today Yultan Mellor is the Principal of Northern College. She continues a proud history of providing education for those adults who may have previously been disengaged or disadvantaged, and for activists who work in the local communities.Asyouexplorethe gardens and parkland you may meet students enjoying outdoor maths, forest schools orfilmmaking.

Teacher College Christmas Party, 1948

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Learn More: Politics & Social Action

Political GardeningThe estate designed by Thomas Wentworth reflectshispoliticsandopinions.

Soon after this triumph, Thomas’ political career came to an end when the government changed. His house and garden became a canvas for symbols reminding visitors of his importance and hints of his loyalty to the old regime.

As an important diplomat for Queen Anne,in 1713 he helped to negotiate an international treatythatconfirmedBritishcontrolofthetransport of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic. This human misery helped pay for the house and gardens he built and Thomas proudly represented his ‘achievement’ with a sundial in the shape of a kneeling African (now in the Conservatory).

The Kneeling African Sundialin the Conservatory (c. 1725)

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From monuments of misery to a house of hopeIf 18th century Wentworth Castle was about elite politics, then in the 20th century it became associated with more democratic political activity.

Northern College was founded to provide working people with new educational opportunities and perspectives.

The College soon attracted passionate supporters and bitter opponents. This reached a peak during the national miners’ strike of 1984–85,inwhichmanystaffandstudentswereactively involved. The College has continued to evolve and now enjoys a 40 year legacy of thousands of lives it has helped change.

“ The aim was to help…lay the foundations for building a better societyfor working people.”Michael Barratt-Brown,firstPrincipal

Northern College studentsin the gardens

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VolunteerOur volunteers come from all ages and backgrounds and work together on everything from gardening to running sportsactivities.Visitthewebsitetofindan opportunity that is right for you.

Become a memberJoinusandyoucanexperienceallNational Trust places for a whole year and support the work at Wentworth Castle Gardens.

How to get involved

Lend a handThere are regular drop-in days where you can help the teamin the gardens and parkland —check the website for details ofthenextone.

Come back for moreAs the seasons change so do the colours, views and fresh ingredients in the café. Each time you visit you help look after Wentworth Castle Gardens, for ever, for everyone.

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Please return this lanyard to Wentworth Castle Gardens. As a conservation charity we reuse these guides.Found this lanyard? We would love to have it back!National TrustWentworth Castle Gardens Lowe LaneStainborough, S75 3ET

Design:Journal.©NationalTrust2019.NationalTrustis an independent registered charity, number 205846.

Find out moreIntrigued by the stories and history at Wentworth Castle Gardens?Find out more at nationaltrust.org.uk/wentworth-castle-gardens

Send us your points of viewEvery corner of the property holdsadifferentviewpoint.Shareyour favourite points of view with us!

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ationalTrust/JohnMillar


Wentworth Castle Gardens · Lady Lucy’s Walk This avenue of lime trees was replanted just before...

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