Wentworth Woodhouse set for public art installation of 10,000 birds

Volunteers with some of the birds on the West Front lawn of Wentworth Woodhouse

The Flock is a project to commemorate families and communities who pulled together during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The birds will be arranged into the shape of a giant tree on the lawns in front of the Grade I-listed mansion near Rotherham this autumn.

Local people, businesses, schools and organisations are all being encouraged to sponsor a bird and decorate it themselves with words, collages and images.

The birds will act as 'messengers' for people's reflections on life in lockdown.

Although it is free to take part in the installation, donations are being sought by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, who have suffered a significant drop in income after being forced to cancel tours of the house, events and wedding bookings since March.

The trust, which bought the ancestral seat of the Earls Fitzwilliam for the nation in 2017, are restoring the house with the aim of opening it fully to the public, and are reliant on heritage grants as well as visitor revenue to fund expensive repair work.

Staff and volunteers will visit villages surrounding the estate as well as Rotherham town centre to distribute birds for members of the public to take home and decorate.

Visitors to the gardens, which re-opened earlier this month, can also take part in art workshops on the lawns or in family bubble shelters.

The trust's CEO Sarah McLeod said: “We want everyone to join in and fly with The Flock. It is going to be a stunning and emotional display marking the biggest event to impact on our lives since the world wars.

“We believe people will flock from far and wide to see it."

Anyone wishing to take part can also request paper templates online and there will be further bird collection points at Elsecar Heritage Centre, Rotherham Market, St John's Green, Kimberworth Park, Thorpe Hesley recreation ground, Clifton Park, Hoyland High Street and Greasbrough playing fields.

The Flock is one of three large public art installations planned by Rotherham and Barnsley councils as part of their Wentworth and Elsecar Great Place project with Wakefield-based arts organisation Beam. The others will be set up at Wentworth Castle Gardens and Elsecar Heritage Centre in Barnsley.

Elsecar was the model village built by the Fitzwilliams for employees who worked in their collieries and iron foundries.