Wentworth Woodhouse to introduce new Black Diamonds tours based on Catherine Bailey's book and featuring rooms never seen by the public

The Black Diamonds tour, which will begin next spring, is based on Catherine Bailey's 2007 book Black Diamonds, which told the history of both the Grade I-listed house near Rotherham and the Fitzwilliam family, whose main seat it was until they sold it in the 1980s.

Bailey, a former TV researcher, was inspired to research the history of Wentworth - which she referred to as 'the forgotten palace' - after she visited the house in 1999, when it was in a state of dereliction. She uncovered scandalous secrets about the Fitzwilliams - including rumours of an illegitimate child and family rifts - and interviewed residents of the Wentworth estate village whose parents and grandparents had worked in the house and grounds. The book also covered the 1912 visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Wentworth, an event of both local and national significance at the time.

As part of the new tour - which Bailey has helped to design - visitors will be able to see inside the bedroom where the royal couple stayed as well as other suites that have never been accessible before.

The success of Black Diamonds - which became a bestseller - is thought to have played a crucial role in raising awareness of the house to visitors since the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust bought it in 2017. Trust staff and volunteers are gradually bringing more areas of the mansion - which has suffered from damp and dry rot - into a safe condition so they can be opened to the public.

Operations manager Jen Booth described the new tour as 'an above and below stairs experience'.

“Catherine is passionate about the house and telling its story and was very excited to be involved.

“Her script brings to life the tasks of the servants, from preparing feasts for the Earls’ house parties to the daily drudgery of carrying bathwater along endless corridors."

The tour features the George IV Suite in the South Wing, which was used for royal guests including Princess Victoria, King George V and Queen Mary.

“The suite’s Blue Bedroom, Crimson Velvet Rooms and Green Bedroom have never previously been seen by the public and are certain to be a highlight," added Jen.

The tours will run daily between Wednesday and Sunday and tickets are priced at £25.

“Tickets are not yet on sale, but gift vouchers can be purchased as Christmas gifts and redeemed later once the tour begins. The tour must surely be the dream Christmas present of every Black Diamonds reader, ” said Jen.