Wentworth, South Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
Wentworth is a village
and civil parish
in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham
in South Yorkshire
, England
. It has a population of 1,223.
families who all lived in Wentworth Woodhouse
. They also owned most (possibly all) of the land in the village. The village gained some independence when the Fitzwilliam family line finished in 1979.
There have been two churches built in the village. The first, called The Chapel of Wentworth
, (a chapel of ease to All Saints Church Wath Upon Dearne) and like its successor as the principal place of worship on this great estate was dedicated to the Holy Trinity is thought to date back to the 12th century. The building of a new church, called Holy Trinity Parish Church, was commissioned in 1872 by William Thomas Spencer Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 6th Earl Fitzwilliam
to the design of John Loughborough Pearson, a great exponent of the Gothic Revivalist style, and consecrated in 1877 by the Archbishop of York
.
on the land surrounding Wentworth Woodhouse. Most of them can be viewed by the public. Of the twenty one monuments or follies the six largest are the Needle's Eye (dating back to at least as early as 1728, but likely to have earlier origins), Hoober Stand
(1748), Keppel's Column (1781) and the Mausoleum (sometimes known as the Rockingham Mausoleum) built in honour of his uncle, Charles 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, by William, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam, who had inherited his uncle's fortune and estates.
Building of the Mausoleum commenced in 1784, two years after Lord Rockingham's death. This monument could more accurately be described as a cenotaph as it contains no human remains. There is, however, a life size statue of Lord Rockingham by Joseph Nollekens
and in niches are placed eight busts of Rockingham's Whig luminaries, also by Nollekens. Both Hoober Stand
and the Mausoleum are staffed at various times to allow public access. The Ionic Temple (1735ish) and the Doric Temple (1751) can also be viewed at distance.In your own interests it is advisable to observe the signs regarding access and viewing times. Smaller monuments include the Vinegar Stone and the Bean Seat. In addition to these monuments the village itself has various cottages and houses of architectural and historic interest. The site of the village stocks, in Main Street, is presently occupied by the telephone kiosk. Opposite can be seen the base of the village cross. The oldest known cottage Ivy Cottage, a cruk cottage, off Main Street, is attached to Snowdrop Farm.
Wentworth Woodhouse
itself is in private ownership and excepting for the exterior of the 606 feet (184.7 m) East Front and the exterior North Front of the extensive Stable Block, may not be viewed. With the exception of the house and a few buildings within its immediate grounds (fewer than eighty acres of over seventeen thousand acres) the extensive estate and its properties are administered from the Estate Office in Clayfields Lane. The Fitzwilliam Wentworth Amenities Trust are responsible for the general running of many of the village's attractions under the guidance of Sir Philip Naylor-Leyland,Bt and the other Trustees. In addition to that part of the estate administered by the charitable trust the remainder is owned by the heirs of the Eighth and Tenth Earls Fitzwilliam, which includes the greater portion of Wentworth Park, extensive farmland and a grouse moor. To the casual passer-by the fact that the largest private house in the United Kingdom is no longer in the ownership of the family who lived there for centuries, is of little significance, if they weren't told they would probably never know, as outside the confines of a much changed stately home estate life continues to go on. Sadly, few present day residents derive their employment from the estate itself. There is also the Elsecar
Heritage Centre in the neighbouring village, which has strong links with the Fitzwilliam family and is certainly worth a visit.
Close to Hoober Stand is the Hoober Observatory
of Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society
, the observatory is open to the public for evening viewing sessions during the winter months and Solar observing on Sundays throughout summer. See society website for more details http://www.msas.org.uk
is based in the old power house of Wentworth Woodhouse
. It currently produces around 30 barrels (2800 pints) a week. As well as a wide range of beers, it also produces bottled water
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham
Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham
The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. It is named for its largest town, Rotherham, but also spans the outlying towns of Maltby, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Wath-upon-Dearne, as well as a suburban and rural element composed of hills, escarpments and...
in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has a population of 1,223.
History
The village's history is dominated by the Wentworth, Watson-Wentworth and Wentworth-FitzwilliamEarl FitzWilliam
Earl Fitzwilliam was a title in both the Peerage of Ireland and the Peerage of Great Britain held by the head of the Fitzwilliam family. This family claim descent from William the Conqueror. The Fitzwilliams acquired extensive holdings in South Yorkshire, largely through strategic alliances through...
families who all lived in Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house near the village of Wentworth, in the vicinity of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. "One of the great Whig political palaces", its East Front, long, is the longest country house façade in Europe. The house includes 365 rooms and covers an...
. They also owned most (possibly all) of the land in the village. The village gained some independence when the Fitzwilliam family line finished in 1979.
There have been two churches built in the village. The first, called The Chapel of Wentworth
Old Holy Trinity Church, Wentworth
The Old Holy Trinity Church, Wentworth, is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Wentworth, South Yorkshire, England . It is partly in ruins, and stands close to a newer church also dedicated to the Holy Trinity...
, (a chapel of ease to All Saints Church Wath Upon Dearne) and like its successor as the principal place of worship on this great estate was dedicated to the Holy Trinity is thought to date back to the 12th century. The building of a new church, called Holy Trinity Parish Church, was commissioned in 1872 by William Thomas Spencer Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 6th Earl Fitzwilliam
William Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam
William Thomas Spencer Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam, KG was a British peer and Liberal politician....
to the design of John Loughborough Pearson, a great exponent of the Gothic Revivalist style, and consecrated in 1877 by the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
.
Timeline
- The village dates back to at least 1066, whereas Saxon Lord Rynold(Reginald)Wynterwade(Wentworth) was baron of the lands. His name is written in the Domesday book for Norman taxation.
- About the year 1250 Robert Wentworth married Emma Woodhouse, and the original Wentworth-Woodhouse was begun nearby. The family lived in the area for over 450 years.
- The lands passed over to the Watson family when William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford died without an heir
- The Watsons held the land until 1782. During this time most of the local folliesFollyIn architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
were built - The Fitzwilliams' ownership ended in 1979 when William Thomas George Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 10th Earl Fitzwilliam died.
Local attractions
There are many local attractions which were built by the Wentworths, Watson-Wentworths or Wentworth-FitzwilliamsEarl FitzWilliam
Earl Fitzwilliam was a title in both the Peerage of Ireland and the Peerage of Great Britain held by the head of the Fitzwilliam family. This family claim descent from William the Conqueror. The Fitzwilliams acquired extensive holdings in South Yorkshire, largely through strategic alliances through...
on the land surrounding Wentworth Woodhouse. Most of them can be viewed by the public. Of the twenty one monuments or follies the six largest are the Needle's Eye (dating back to at least as early as 1728, but likely to have earlier origins), Hoober Stand
Hoober Stand
Hoober Stand is a high building situated on a ridge in Wentworth, South Yorkshire in northern England. It was designed by Henry Flitcroft for the Whig aristocrat Thomas Watson-Wentworth, Earl of Malton to commemorate the quashing of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, and lies close to his country...
(1748), Keppel's Column (1781) and the Mausoleum (sometimes known as the Rockingham Mausoleum) built in honour of his uncle, Charles 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, by William, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam, who had inherited his uncle's fortune and estates.
Building of the Mausoleum commenced in 1784, two years after Lord Rockingham's death. This monument could more accurately be described as a cenotaph as it contains no human remains. There is, however, a life size statue of Lord Rockingham by Joseph Nollekens
Joseph Nollekens
Joseph Nollekens was a sculptor from London generally considered to be the finest British sculptor of the late 18th century. He was also a founder member of the Royal Academy in 1768.-Life:...
and in niches are placed eight busts of Rockingham's Whig luminaries, also by Nollekens. Both Hoober Stand
Hoober Stand
Hoober Stand is a high building situated on a ridge in Wentworth, South Yorkshire in northern England. It was designed by Henry Flitcroft for the Whig aristocrat Thomas Watson-Wentworth, Earl of Malton to commemorate the quashing of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, and lies close to his country...
and the Mausoleum are staffed at various times to allow public access. The Ionic Temple (1735ish) and the Doric Temple (1751) can also be viewed at distance.In your own interests it is advisable to observe the signs regarding access and viewing times. Smaller monuments include the Vinegar Stone and the Bean Seat. In addition to these monuments the village itself has various cottages and houses of architectural and historic interest. The site of the village stocks, in Main Street, is presently occupied by the telephone kiosk. Opposite can be seen the base of the village cross. The oldest known cottage Ivy Cottage, a cruk cottage, off Main Street, is attached to Snowdrop Farm.
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house near the village of Wentworth, in the vicinity of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. "One of the great Whig political palaces", its East Front, long, is the longest country house façade in Europe. The house includes 365 rooms and covers an...
itself is in private ownership and excepting for the exterior of the 606 feet (184.7 m) East Front and the exterior North Front of the extensive Stable Block, may not be viewed. With the exception of the house and a few buildings within its immediate grounds (fewer than eighty acres of over seventeen thousand acres) the extensive estate and its properties are administered from the Estate Office in Clayfields Lane. The Fitzwilliam Wentworth Amenities Trust are responsible for the general running of many of the village's attractions under the guidance of Sir Philip Naylor-Leyland,Bt and the other Trustees. In addition to that part of the estate administered by the charitable trust the remainder is owned by the heirs of the Eighth and Tenth Earls Fitzwilliam, which includes the greater portion of Wentworth Park, extensive farmland and a grouse moor. To the casual passer-by the fact that the largest private house in the United Kingdom is no longer in the ownership of the family who lived there for centuries, is of little significance, if they weren't told they would probably never know, as outside the confines of a much changed stately home estate life continues to go on. Sadly, few present day residents derive their employment from the estate itself. There is also the Elsecar
Elsecar
Elsecar is a village forming part of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. Like many villages in the area, it was for many years a coal mining village until the widespread pit closures during the 1980s. Elsecar is next to the villages of Hoyland and Jump.Elsecar is...
Heritage Centre in the neighbouring village, which has strong links with the Fitzwilliam family and is certainly worth a visit.
Close to Hoober Stand is the Hoober Observatory
Hoober Observatory
J A Jones Hoober Observatory is a privately owned observatory located in South Yorkshire, England near to the villages of Hoober and Wentworth, North-northwest of Rotherham. It can be found about east of Hoober Stand...
of Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society
Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society
Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society is a society and charity based in Swinton, South Yorkshire, England. Founded on 21 May 1978 as "The Night Sky Astronomy Club" it amalgamated with "The Mexborough Astronomy Club" in late 1978 and became the "Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society".It...
, the observatory is open to the public for evening viewing sessions during the winter months and Solar observing on Sundays throughout summer. See society website for more details http://www.msas.org.uk
Wentworth Brewery
The Wentworth Brewery was founded in 1999. The breweryBrewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
is based in the old power house of Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house near the village of Wentworth, in the vicinity of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. "One of the great Whig political palaces", its East Front, long, is the longest country house façade in Europe. The house includes 365 rooms and covers an...
. It currently produces around 30 barrels (2800 pints) a week. As well as a wide range of beers, it also produces bottled water
Bottled water
Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
.