***************************************************************** * Gardens-Guide.com * 250,000 UNIQUE VISITORS in 2011 * 2,000 garden pages viewed per day from March to September 2011 * * 1,000+ Page Views! - One-Quarter of all gardens listed on Gardens-Guide.com * were EACH viewed more than 1,000 times in 2011. * * 500+ Page Views! - HALF of all gardens listed on Gardens-Guide.com were * EACH viewed more than 500 times in 2011. * ***************************************************************** *** UPDATE FORM *** Wentworth Castle Gardens 1) Please COPY the entire FORM BELOW 2) Make any changes in BRIGHT RED -OR- mark changed Section Headers with: *** 3) email the ENTIRE FORM UPDATED backto us: wd (at) armchair-travel (dot) com **************************************************************** **************************************************************** **************************************************************** *** also - SEARCH ENGINE BOOSTING for both YOU and Gardens-Guide.com *** If your webmaster could place a link from your own website directly to your page on Gardens-Guide.com, this will improve it's rankings in Google and other search engines. Please use the following format and info on your own site to link to your page in Gardens-Guide.com: at Gardens-Guide.com http://www.gardens-guide.com The premiere directory of open gardens in the UK and Ireland today Ask your friends and suppliers as well to link to your page in Gardens-Guide as well. Every link we get into your page helps rankings for both of us in search engines. **************************************************************** **************************************************************** **************************************************************** Garden Name: Wentworth Castle Gardens Last Modified: 26-01-2011 Garden ID: 0445 pic: 0445_WentworthCastle.jpg NOTE: If this says "missing", then please send us a picture for your page which is at least 1000 x 1000 pixels in size. Thanks! Owner: Chris Margrave, Head Gardener Address: Lowe Lane Stainborough Barnsley Postcode: S75 3ET County: Yorkshire tel: 01226 776040 fax: website: www.wentworthcastle.org email: heritagetrust //at// wentworthcastle.org English Heritage Grade: I Opening Times: NOTE for 2012: Please check with garden owners or their website to confirm current dates open http://www.wentworthcastle.org Gardens open: Apr - Sept 10am - 5pm, last admission 4.30pm Oct - Mar; 10am - 4pm, last admission 3.30pm Best Times of Year to Visit: Spring. To see: Magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. National Collection: Species rhododendrons, Species magnolias and Williamsii hybrid camellias. National Garden Scheme days: No Comments: Parties / Coaches: Yes Comments: Viewing by Appointment: Yes Comments: House Open for Viewing: Yes Comments: Guided tours on limited number of days (please enquire) £2 extra pp Admission Prices: Adults £4.75; Accompanied Children over 5 years £2.75; Overs 60's and Concession £3.75; Family (2A + 2C) £12.50 Parking included. Group visits prices for 15+ discounts available, please enquire. Access to the parkland is free, there is a £3 charge for parking, which is waived if there is a minimum spend of £10 in either the shop or the cafˇ. Parking: Yes Lavatories: Yes Disabled Access: Yes Shop: Yes Plants for Sale: No Lunches: Yes Teas: Yes Refreshments: Yes Picnics: Yes Dogs allowed: No Only on Lead: Yes Events: Yes Other Facilities: Disabled access using the gardens own Batricar, please book in advance. Dogs allowed in parkland Features: Cast-iron glasshouse that featured in the BBC TV series "Restoration".. New last year was the John Arnold Garden with spectacular Dahlia border, maze and wildflower meadow. Many interesting discoveries and re-creations of the garden's original features. New for 2010: Children's Adventure Playground. Designer: Description of Garden: Wentworth Castle Gardens are the only Grade I registered gardens in South Yorkshire and contain a wealth of 18th century garden monuments within a historic design. Garden features on the 40 acre site include an azalea garden, a "secret" Victorian flower garden, a woodland wilderness with rhododendrons, magnolias and Asiatic plants, and Stainborough Castle, a stunning Gothic folly. The National Collections of species rhododendrons, species magnolias and williamsii hybrid camellias, along with many other woodland plants, are at their best in springtime. The Gardens are located within the Stainborough Park conservation area and are part of the South Yorkshire Forest. The extensive parkland is home to both fallow and red deer and there are different routes to walk. History: Under the Premiership of Robert Walpole there was a great movement in England to show wealth and power by designing and building great houses and gardens. Walpole himself was a great advocate of this extravagant display of wealth and commented on the good work being undertaken by Thomas Watson-Wentworth and the development of the Wentworth-Woodhouse estate. Not to be outdone, in 1727 Thomas Wentworth set about building the mock castle. The site where the castle is located is of significant historical importance since it lies on the site of an Iron Age hill fort that was converted by the Norman Lords into a motte-and bailey castle. It had been owned since the 13th century by the Everingham family and then by the Cutlers and was known as Stainborough Hall. The castle was completed in 1734 and from this day on, the Hall became known as Wentworth Castle. The exact motive behind why Thomas decided to build a castle is unclear. One theory is that it was a playhouse for his children. There can be no doubt however that family rivalry was a key motive, having the address of 'Wentworth Castle' sounded just as grand then as it does today. Wentworth Castle was sold when the family could no longer take care of its upkeep and became a teacher training college from 1948-1978. In 1978 the house became the base for Northern College for Residential Adult Education. Local Inns: Strines Inn, Bradfield Accomodation: Restaurants: Village/Town/Sightseeing: