Another year has flown by at Wentworth Woodhouse with a jam-packed calendar of fundraising events and capital works taking place alongside the ever-expanding visitor offer. From Colourscape’s inflatable labyrinth of light in the Gardens to an after-hours Astronomy Night and even a King Charles III Coronation Afternoon Tea, there has been plenty to keep our visitors engaged.
2023 has seen a greater focus on cultural programming with the first series of exhibitions taking place throughout the year… Jason & his Argonauts by Wakefield-born disabled artist Jason Wilsher-Mills kicked off the programme with a series of fibreglass sculptures throughout the ground floor and in the West Front Gardens. This exhibition was shortly followed in June by The Vanity of Small Differences by Turner prize-winning artist Grayson Perry – a selection of large-scale tapestries throughout the State Rooms inspired by Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress. The exhibition programme wrapped up with the On Location | Costume Exhibition which featured costumes from productions filmed on-site including Downton Abbey and Victoria. This cultural focus was encapsulated further by the launch of the organisation’s ‘Cultural Strategy’ in Autumn 2023, the values of which were represented in artistic Portico pillar wraps, by local artist Patrick Murphy, temporarily on display in September.
This year, we launched our new Forge A Link fundraising campaign, which offers supporters the opportunity to have their initials engraved in the newly-restored baluster chains on the House’s East Front, creating a lasting link to Wentworth Woodhouse. This has generated some great interest with local people, and families have come forward from as far as Australia to honour their loved ones!
The restoration works to the Ionic Temple were completed in Summer 2023 and the redevelopment of the Forest of Bewilderment into a natural play and educational area for children finished in time for the Easter Holidays. The Camellia House restoration has been ongoing throughout the year and the building works are now complete, with the internal kit-out being the final job to tick off the list ahead of its official opening in Spring 2024. Work is now underway at the Stables with a new car park, visitor entrance and professional kitchen amongst the initial development works.
For the second year running, Wentworth Woodhouse was awarded a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award as one of the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide! We were also delighted to have our hard work recognised when we won the Business Community Impact Award and were Highly Commended for the Sustainability Award at the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. We continue to pave the way in terms of best-practice in the heritage sector, something which was further acknowledged by Historic Houses who awarded us the ‘Frances Garnham Award’ for our innovative approach to education and community engagement work. Long may our trailblazing reputation continue and how wonderful that a House so admired throughout its history for doing things differently continues to do so!
After another fantastic year of growth here at Wentworth Woodhouse we’re looking forward to a promising 2024 – be sure to stay up-to-date with everything coming up via the What’s On section of our website and join us in the New Year for more fantastic events, exhibitions and opportunities to support our regeneration!