Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
25 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
25 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
26 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
28 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Wentworth Wentworth Woodhouse

Wentworth Woodhouse

The UK's largest private house was the subject of a long-lasting political dispute.

Wentworth, England

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Stable block   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Stable block   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Main house, East Front   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Wentworth Woodhouse   Jeff Pearson/Public domain
Sun sets behind the main house, 2016   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Black and white photo of the Wentworth Woodhouse   John Robinson/Public Domain
Newspaper article (1947) on coal mining at the Wentworth Woodhouse shows the destruction of property   The Sphere/Public Domain
  Jim F / Atlas Obscura User
The, older, west front   Stephen Richards
East front roof detail   Terry Robinson
  Jim F / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Wentworth Woodhouse, built in the 18th century, is the largest private house in the United Kingdom. It has more than 300 rooms, with 250,000 square feet of floor space. It is surrounded by a magnificent 180-acre park, complete with a population of deer and large artificial lakes. 

The manse actually comprises two joined houses, both build int he early 1700s. The house on the west front is the original Jacobean house, made of brick with beautiful stone details. On the east front is an all-stone building.

The Jacobean half was once the home of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, whom Charles I allowed to be executed  in 1641, supposedly to appease Parliament.  The house was further renovated and expanded (adding the eastern building) by Thomas Watson-Wentworth, the 1st Marques of Rockingham, and his son, the 2nd Marques of Rockingham, who was the Prime Minister of England twice, and was visited, at the house, by Benjamin Franklin in 1771.

Yet despite its historic grandeur, the house has more recently been at the center of political dispute. It started in 1946, when, on the orders of the then Labor government, the area between the house and the family mausoleum was repurposed as a coal mine in Britain. In fact, more than 132,000 tons of coal were removed from the garden alone. 

This decision was extremely controversial, and continues to be today. In 2016, an announcement of an award by the Conservative Government to repair and preserve this historic building was met with mixed views, despite the long amount of time that's passed since the mining took place. The historic estate is now owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust. For now, it is open to the public.

In the 2016-17 BBC TV series Victoria, the two fronts of the house were used to represent Kensington Palace and Buckingham palace (Victoria never actually visited) and the interior was used for a brothel scene. The interior was also used to represent Buckingham Palace In the 2017 movie about Churchill, Darkest Hour.

In August 2017, an announcement was made that the National Trust had agreed to support cost of the renovation of this building which is estimated at between £45 million and £100 million.

Related Tags

Houses Architecture Coal 18th Century Government Politics Homes

Know Before You Go

Visits to the interior of the house are only available sometimes, so check online. However, even a visit to see just the outside of the property from the public footpath is very worthwhile. Parking is available just outside the park entrance.

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Edited By

aribrown, Dark Nebula Deluxe, Jim F

  • aribrown
  • Dark Nebula Deluxe
  • Jim F

Published

July 27, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.savewentworth.co.uk
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth, Rotherham
Wentworth, England
United Kingdom
53.474276, 0.0
Visit Website

Nearby Places

The Signal Box Inn

Cleethorpes, England

miles away

Gray Seals of Donna Nook

Donna Nook, England

miles away

Cleethorpes Air Raid Shelter

Cleethorpes, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wentworth

Wentworth

England

Places 2

Nearby Places

The Signal Box Inn

Cleethorpes, England

miles away

Gray Seals of Donna Nook

Donna Nook, England

miles away

Cleethorpes Air Raid Shelter

Cleethorpes, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wentworth

Wentworth

England

Places 2

Related Places

  • The front of Gunston Hall from the main entrance path.

    Lorton, Virginia

    George Mason's Gunston Hall

    The former home of the man whose radical ideas changed the nation.

  • Casa de la Independencia exterior.

    Asunción, Paraguay

    Casa de la Independencia

    The fighters and conspirators that won independence for Paraguay held secret meetings at this historic house.

  • Revolution House.

    Old Whittington, England

    Revolution House

    A secret meeting in this small cottage changed the course of British history.

  • Washington, D.C.

    Old Stone House

    The oldest building in the District of Columbia was preserved because of a mistaken connection to George Washington.

  • This house was transported piece-by-piece from the Huizhou region of China.

    Salem, Massachusetts

    Yin Yu Tang: A Chinese Home

    A rare 16-bedroom Qing Dynasty house re-erected on the campus of the Peabody Essex Museum. 

  • Alatskivi Castle

    Alatskivi, Estonia

    Alatskivi Castle

    A wealthy aristocratic family built this Disney-worthy, fairy-tale castle.

  • Baghdad, Iraq

    Dar Tawfiq Al-Suwaidi

    The home of Iraq's former prime minister now houses historical manuscripts.

  • 9904 Colesville Road (Polychrome II)

    Silver Spring, Maryland

    Polychrome Historic District

    These five Art Deco homes were meant to solve the "small house problem."

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.