During November, Historic England revealed its Heritage at Risk Register 2023, which gives an annual snapshot of the health of England’s valued historic buildings and places. As several sites have been added, significant sites have been saved and subsequently removed from the register, including our very own Camellia House.
The Grade II listed Camellia House is an early 19th century tea house, originally built for Lady Rockingham, wife of the 1st Marquess, in 1738 to entertain and impress her guests.
By 2017, when the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust took over, the building was derelict and roofless. Its ancient camellias, exposed to the elements for decades, were found to include plants dating from the early 1800s – some of the oldest in the Western world.
Last summer, a year-long project funded by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund was carried out to repair and transform the Camellia House into a public tea house, protecting the historic blooms throughout.
The fully restored Camellia House opens in spring 2024, ready to welcome guests to enjoy tea once again.