The Wentworth Follies

...recently wrote a review on the Wentworth-Woodhouse Estate, one of the finest examples of a Grand Country House and Estate in Northern England.

Situated in South Yorkshire about 4 miles North of Rotherham this Estate covers 600 acres and was once the home to one of the richest men in England, the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham, who was twice Prime Minister of England in the latter part of the 1700's.

The Grounds to the vast ...
...structures known as the Wentworth Follies. Each of these monuments which are associated with the 2nd Marquis and his Father, the 1st Marquis of Rockingham, formerly the Earl of Malton were built between 1748 and 1785 have a unique design and structure.

Curiously if you look at the doorways to the first three structures in chronological order to when they were built the doors open the compass points of South, East, and West. The fourth ... more

I recently wrote a review on the Wentworth-Woodhouse Estate, one of the finest examples of a Grand Country House and Estate in Northern England.

Situated in South Yorkshire about 4 miles North of Rotherham this Estate covers 600 acres and was once the home to one of the richest men in England, the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham, who was twice Prime Minister of England in the latter part of the 1700's.

The Grounds to the vast Wentworth Estate contains many attractions. Amongst these are four different structures known as the Wentworth Follies. Each of these monuments which are associated with the 2nd Marquis and his Father, the 1st Marquis of Rockingham, formerly the Earl of Malton were built between 1748 and 1785 have a unique design and structure.

Curiously if you look at the doorways to the first three structures in chronological order to when they were built the doors open the compass points of South, East, and West. The fourth structure of unknown date, but believed to be the most recent construction does not have a door as this is a Pyramid with a passageway through its middle, this Passageway however leads in a Northerly directly.

The four Follies are known as The Needle's Eye, Hoober Stand, Keppel's Column and The Rockingham Mausoleum.

THE NEEDLE'S EYE

This is the most recent of the monuments although its exact date of construction is not exactly documented. It is however believed that it was built after 1778 but before 1785.

It stands on a patch of open grassland and is clearly visible from a long distance away.

The exact history of the Needle is not known but few people can deny it is a charming structure that commands the attention of your eye. It is built in the design of a stone Pyramid with a gateway through its middle. The exact reasoning behind its construction is unclear but the most plausible theory is that the 2nd Marquis had it constructed to win a strange bet, in which he said that he could drive his Coach and Horses through the eye of a needle. This may have had some reference to the Christian Gospel saying that it is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Remember that at this time, the Marquis of Rockingham was one of the richest men in England.

There is a large Urn on the top of the Needle and from the ground to the tip of this Urn is about 38 feet (11.5 metres). The base of the Pyramid measures around 20 feet (6 metres) on both sides. The width of the passageway through its middle is 8 feet 9 inches (2.7 metres), and the height of this passageway to the top of its arch is 16 feet 4 inches (5 metres), which is exactly half of the height of the overall structure. It would have been possible to drive a Coach and its Horses through this space but it would have been tight.

The Needle's Eye is easily accessed by way of a footpath from the junction of Coaley Lane and Street Lane where there is a large car park.

HOOBER STAND

Hoober Stand is one of the most prominent landmarks for miles around. It is a 100 feet (30.5 metres) high watchtower that stands on a mound 518 feet (158 metres) above sea level.

The 1st Marquis of Rockingham Thomas Watson-Wentworth had it built between 1748 and 1752 to commemorate the defeat of the second Jacobean uprising. However there are some that say that the main reason that Thomas had this impressive monument commissioned was to celebrate his own title as a Marquis, which had been granted to him in 1746.

Henry Flitcroft designed this building, he was one of the most respected Architects of the time who had helped design much of the Wentwoth-Woodhouse House. The cost of its construction was £3,000 a very lavish sum of money in the middle of the eighteenth century.

The basic design of this structure is that of a three-sided Pyramid in an Ionic style. It has a base that consists of three equal sides each measuring 42 feet (13 metres) wide at base level. This base narrows in an upward direction ending at an iron railed platform which measures 24 feet (7 metres) wide on each side.

There is a doorway on the Southern face of the monument and for a small charge of around £2 it is possible to enter through here and climb up a spiral staircase to a viewing platform approximately 85 feet (26 metres) above the ground. This staircase is very steep and therefore not for the weary but if you are able I would thoroughly recommend that you make this journey as the views from the top of here are incredible. On a clear day it is even possible to see York Minster over 40 miles away! By way of slight consolation there are five windows along the route of the spiral staircase, which not only light up the way but their ledges also prove to be a popular resting place.

Over the years Hoober stand has suffered from both being struck by lightening and from mining subsidence and between 1979 and 2000 it was closed to the public for safety reasons. Thankfully it has now been fully restored and is open to the public from 2p.m. to 5p.m. on Saturday and Sunday afternoons between Spring Bank Holiday and the August Bank Holiday.

Access throughout this period is via Street Lane by way of a steep path but access during the mid-summer months is easier from Lea Brook Lane which runs to the north side where there is also a small car park.

KEPPEL'S COLUMN

Keppel's Column rises like a slim, slender Tower 115 feet (35 metres) and stands on an elevated mound 460 feet (140 metres), though slightly lower in height than Hoober Stand it is clearly visible for miles around, and I can actually see it from my Bedroom Window on the skyline as I type this review!

Work began on its construction in 1778 but it was not completed until four years later. It was built to celebrate the acquittal of Admiral Keppel, a friend and Whig supporter of the Marquis of Rockingham, who had been court-martialled for cowardice against the French during the Battle of Ushant in1778.

It stands on a plain pedestal that is 23 feet (8 metres) wide and 7 feet 6 inches (2.2 metres) high.

There is a doorway on its Eastern face which leads to 217 steps that take you to a viewing platform. The staircase is lighted by 21 small windows and there is a small room with seats built in to the column about a third of the way up, but sadly this monument is currently in a state of disrepair and has been closed to the public for many years for safety reasons.

Keppel's Column dominates the southern skyline from within Wentworth Park and it is also clearly visible from Junction 32 of the M1 Motorway. There is easy public access from Admiral's Crest, just off the A629, where there is a car park.

THE ROCKINGHAM MAUSOLEUM

The Rockingham Mausoleum was built in 1788 by William, the 1st Earl Fitzwilliam as a memorial to his uncle, Charles, the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham, who died in 1782.

The Mausoleum is a magnificent structure standing 90 feet (27.5 metres) high and standing on a large base that is surrounded by four obelisks, each of which is over half the height of the Mausoleum. It is protected by a high iron fence running around the perimeter of the base and has a gate on the west side before the Mausoleum's door.

The Mausoleum was designed by John Carr, a York architect, in the style of a Roman Temple with four large Urns at each corner. The construction took three years to complete and was carried out by ten men. The monument has three different tiers, each with its own distinctive style.

There is a Coffin built into the design of the middle section, but this is only decorative for the Earl's remains are in a vault at York Minster. This Coffin does however bear an inscription that reads: "This monument was erected by William, Earl Fitzwilliam, 1788, to the memory of Charles, Marquis of Rockingham."

It stands in secluded private woodland and is open to the public from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday afternoons between Spring and August Bank Holidays. There is small charge of about £1.00 to visit this monument, which unlike the other Follies at Wentworth cannot be viewed from anywhere else within the Grounds.

GETTING THERE

Wentworth Woodhouse is situated in South Yorkshire, just a few miles to the West of Barnsley, near the town of Elsecar. It is most easily reached by car by leaving the M1 Motorway at Junction 35. From here turn right, sign-posted Hoyland and continue about 1 mile until you reach the B6090 sign-posted Elsecar. From here Wentworth Woodhouse is well sign-posted. The journey time by car from the Motorway is only around 5 minutes.

If you are visiting by public transport then two different buses serve Wentworth Village. The 227 Rotherham to Barnsley bus runs every hour, and the 44 Lea Brook service also serves Wentworth Village, although less frequently. Wentworth Village is a few minutes walk from Wentworth Woodhouse, but the Village should not be overlooked, as it is one of the most picturesque Villages in the area.

The nearest Train Station is at Elsecar, about 1.5 miles from Wentworth Village. Local Trains serve Elsecar Station from Barnsley, Sheffield, Leeds and Huddersfield.

Thank you for reading.
 

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