Wentworth Woodhouse pool used by thousands, including students from Sheffield City Polytechnic, is demolished

The swimming pool at Grade I-listed Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham was created not for its wealthy owners but for the tenants helping to pay the bills – first the Lady Mabel College of Physical Education and then Sheffield City Polytechnic, which would later become Sheffield Hallam University.

The 25-metre pool with two diving boards was built in 1972 for student PE teachers to practice swimming, lifesaving, canoeing and even a spot of synchronised swimming. When the Lady Mabel College closed in 1979, Sheffield City Polytechnic took over and its sports students used the pool daily. The pool was also used by firefighters to train and was even credited with helping fuel Rotherham United’s 1980s title success.

After the polytechnic vacated in 1986, the pool, changing rooms and shower block fell into decline, along with a cluster of other breeze block and timber classrooms built around it. Positioned close to the mansion’s main entrance, the decaying 70s buildings became an eyesore. They have now been bulldozed to make way for a new 181-space car visitor car park, with an additional 10 spaces for motorbikes and 20 spaces for bicycles, which will replace the existing temporary car park.

Swimming pool demolished to make space for visitor car park at Wentworth Woodhouse

The work is the latest step in the massive repair and regeneration project being carried out by Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, which bought the house in 2017. Sarah McLeod, the trust’s CEO, said: “Our temporary car park is poor-standard and is actually part of a Grade II* Registered Park. Cars marr beautiful, centuries-old views from the house.

“The 70s swimming pool and teaching buildings have an important place in the house’s history and we’ve learned many fascinating stories from people who used them, But they were very much at odds with our historic site and were in a terrible state. After lengthy expert and public consultation, and with RMBC planners’ approval, we can now get rid of two problem areas and build a brand new facility for visitors.”

The first phase of the car park is due to be ready for visitors to use next summer, enabling people to park close to the main entrance and enter the house and gardens through the Stables and Mews Court, the old servants’ quadrant. As visitor numbers grow, the trust expects more car parks will be needed around the estate.

Lots of people answered a call by the trust for them to share their memories of the old swimming pool, including Jean Butler, from Thurnscoe, who was a full-time lifeguard and swimming teacher there from 1977-80. Jean helped hundreds of local children and adults in the evenings, and by day taught students. One of the polytechnic sports degree students took a shine to Jean, then 22, which led to a 20-year marriage and three children. She said: “I loved my job, apart from one task. When the pool occasionally got drained for cleaning, it was my job to get in there and scrub every tile before it could be refilled.”

Wentworth Woodhouse swimming pool was used by title-winning Rotherham United squad

The pool was used by fire crews, who jumped in wearing full firefighting kit to practice lifesaving skills. Former Rotherham United goalkeeper Ray Mountford credits the pool with helping his team win the 1980-81 3rd Division Championship. The club had no training facilities, so the squad trained in local parks and sports grounds until new manager Ian Porterfield secured the use of the Polytechnic’s sports teaching facilities at Wentworth Woodhouse for pre-season training.

Ray, now aged 64 and a retired police officer, said: “This was a quantum leap forward. We revelled in the beautiful, peaceful surroundings. I’m sure it contributed to our mindset. After gruelling training sessions in the grounds we headed to the pool to relax, cool down and talk about the coming season. This was long before today’s ice baths, personal massages and the like. That season, 11 mediocre players became a formidable team. We won the Third Division Championships and I am convinced the cool pool water had other effects on me… My wife and I managed to conceive our daughter Emma that summer, after trying for two years!”

Another person with fond memories of the pool is Sally Cook, who was a polytechnic sports sciences student at Wentworth from 1981-85 and swam there regularly after moving into digs in Jump village. She said: “We had a 50p pre-payment meter and I worked out it was cheaper to swim every lunchtime and shower at the pool,” said Sally. “It became a bit of a sanctuary where I could relax, get fit and challenge myself.”

Now 58 and living in Gloucestershire, Sally recently took part in a triathlon and believes the ‘muscle memory’ from her swim sessions at Wentworth in the early 80s helped her complete the swimming challenge.

Brother-and-sister Justine and Gavin Robinson got to use the pool as their mum Margaret was a secretary at Lady Mabel College. Justine Turner, as she is now called, remembers entering a college charity sponsored swim in 1978 and says their dad ‘came to regret’ sponsoring them for 50p a length. “I managed about 15 lengths but Gavin did 64 - almost a mile. It cost dad a fortune,” she said.

The Lady Mabel College, which welcomed its first students in 1950, had been invited to take over much of the stately home after its upkeep became impossible to afford for the Fitzwilliam family, who remained living at the property, in the mansion’s West Front until the death of the 10th Earl in 1979. The college carried out a number of alterations to the historic buildings; the Stables and Riding School were retrofitted with classrooms, libraries, staff rooms, toilets and sports facilities. Bedrooms in the Bedlam Wing on the East Front became their lodgings and bathrooms.

In the early 70s a small Victorian building, a former lodge house from 1930 and a 1957 outbuilding close to the Stables were knocked down to create space for an additional teaching block and the swimming pool. The pool was opened for use in 1972 and was described as modern and luxurious.