The Camellia House: Stepping back in time into the tea house of a Lady at Wentworth Woodhouse

One of the most significant of those inside the grounds of the Grade I-listed stately home is the Camellia House.

Our reporter Sophie Mei Lan Malin visited the previously forgotten tea house which has undergone a £5m restoration.

The Camellia House, a Grade II* listed Georgian glasshouse, was on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register after being abandoned in the 1980s.

When the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust took over the house and grounds in 2017 they discovered the derelict tea house.

Despite the building being on the verge of collapsing, incredibly the rare Camellias which had been planted in the 19th century were still intact.

It's a ten minute walk to The Camellia House tucked away from the main stately home or a short golf buggy ride.

Perhaps it was the cold mist which added to the magic of the grounds. Either way we felt we were being transported back in time.

The exterior of the house reminded me of Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens’ glass pavilions with its stone architecture and an array of windows adorning the building.

We stepped inside The Camellia House, embraced by its warm glow.

The entrance hall has paintings of camellias decorating the walls with quotes. It is also where the tea is poured and desserts are displayed.

“There's something hypnotic about the word tea,” reads the sign as we're welcomed by friendly staff to our seats.

I'm told that Lady Rockingham would sit drinking her tea while watching over the ‘menagerie of exotic animals.’

While there is a chill in the tearoom, there are blankets at the ready and delightful hot drinks.

After all, we're intruding into the home of these stunning Camellias which have survived over 200 years, some of the oldest in the western world.

Their majesty is mesmerising, their trunks large but full of intricate detail where roots have thrived against all the odds.

The camellia’s strong beauty and resilience leaves you in awe.

I found myself sitting up straight and imagining I was one of the ladies of the house sipping tea with my wealthy aristocratic friends, rather than the reality of being a Yorkshire lass sat here in mucky wellies.

You can see why the tea house served as a peaceful retreat for its owners from 1738.

Through the windows you can see the orchard and the 18th century Ionic Temple.

It’s definitely the perfect sanctuary to eat, drink and embrace what it would feel like to live here all those years ago.