Conserved Victorian conservatory set for grand opening after £3.7m revamp

Michael Klemperer, estate manager for the Grade I listed gardens, was helping with the last phase of planting yesterday – part of the finishing touches to a £3.7m project to rescue the beautiful iron glasshouse which was previously in danger of being lost forever.

The conservatory project is part of a wider scheme to restore the gardens at the attraction, near Barnsley, carried out by the Wentworth Castle and Stainborough Park Heritage Trust.

It was constructed in 1885 by Crompton and Fawkes, who described it as an “iron winter garden” in their catalogue. It is a rare surviving Victorian glasshouse and in its day was at the forefront of technology, with electric lighting as early as 1886.

The building would have been used to display exotic plants, including orchids, palms and ferns collected from around the world. The current planting aims to reflect the conservatory’s history, including species from five different continents showcasing the plant-hunting interests of the 18th century Wentworth family and the later 19th century Vernon-Wentworths.

It has taken nine years for the necessary £3.7m funding to be raised, including more than 500 individual donations and a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £2.5m.