Big plans at Wentworth Woodhouse this year, as the trust heads to its 10-year milestone

The Grade I listed mansion is now mostly water-tight, careful heritage restoration work has been carried out on to its Palladian and Baroque fronts and the award-winning transformation of a derelict Camellia House into a destination cafe is one of numerous improvements to the 87-acre gardens.

Much has been achieved and the Preservation Trust’s 10th anniversary of taking ownership of Wentworth Woodhouse is still a year away.

But CEO Sarah McLeod OBE sees 2026 as an important year for planning and launching new projects to ensure the trust’s milestone year is truly a time to celebrate.

“The Wentworth family of staff, trustees and volunteers will be pulling out all the stops,” she said. “We are determined that in 2027 visitors will be able to explore more of our historic spaces and have new activities to enjoy - and that our already huge positive impact on South Yorkshire will be even more impressive.’

One of the biggest tasks will be a £400,000 refurbishment of the ground floor chapel in 2026 so that 13 paintings which had hung there for centuries can return in 2027.

The paintings, of Christ and the Apostles, are dated 1630 and have recently been discovered as the work of Flemish painter Gerard Seghers, a contemporary of Reubens.

WWPT trustee Martin Drury made it his mission to find out their story and raise funds for their restoration in London. The Trust’s Digital Volunteers filmed some of the process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bI6WHXIZC8

The chapel was the family’s private place of worship and it is thought the paintings arrived as a set of 14 shortly before 1789, when ‘14 large picture frames’ were bought for the chapel at a cost of £41.1s. One of the paintings is now in a private collection.

Fundraising to raise the £400,000 needed will start immediately, as the paintings can only return when improvements have been made to the chapel’s lighting, heating, safety, disability access and security. Solar screening is needed on the windows and stone, plaster and woodwork require cleaning and repairs.

There’s big news for young visitors... A huge ‘learn through play’ outdoor play area is being planned, to give families more reason to visit Wentworth Woodhouse.

If plans succeed, in 2027 children will be able to learn about South Yorkshire's industrial heritage as they explore. The development will be based in the already popular Forest of Bewilderment woodland play area in the gardens.

Also in 2026, changes will be happening in Mews Court, close to the site’s Grade I listed Stables complex. In a few years’ time, this cottage-lined courtyard where equestrian staff once lived will play an important role - it will become the new visitor entrance to the house and gardens.

The area is being landscaped and in 2026 a gated archway will be created. Eventually, this gateway will lead visitors into the huge and impressive courtyard at the Grade I listed Stables complex, where the Trust hopes to set up skills training spaces, shops, craft workshops, a visitors’ cafe, and events areas.

These goals will be achieved step-by-step over a number of years but the trust is already on with the colossal task of restoring the Stables area.

The Riding School has a new roof and Phase I of regeneration works was completed in 2025. It was funded with £4.6 million of the Government’s £20 million Levelling Up investment in Rotherham and Historic England provided £500,000 of partnership funding.