If you enjoy visiting the many heritage sites around the UK and you are in the vicinity of Yorkshire, Brodsworth Hall is a must, and a full circuit of the gardens should not be overlooked, the above picture is of the Grotto, which is fashioned within what was the quarry which provided stone for the hall. The south facing rockery is thought to be the most extensive fern garden in the world, with examples from all regions of the planet. The fact it is sunk below the general ground level affords it a micro climate some latitudes south of the rest of the garden!
Yes, a visit on Easter Monday to Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, despite the rather blustery weather, revealed a treasure in the hinterland between Doncaster and Barnsley. Situated north of the A635 just west of junction 37 on the A1(M), the area is well represented with soft creamy yellow limestone buildings, which sit well in the landscape, the stone turns to a darker yellowy grey over time and it is not particularly resilient to the relentless weathering from the Yorkshie climate, so it came as no surprise to see that Brodsworth Hall has been extensively refurbished with new ashlar stonework on the elevations.
Unfortunately, but not unexpected, it is not possible to take photographs inside the house, the furnishings and decorations are in many places suffering from exposure to sunlight and other decaying processes. Adding to this problem with flash photography was clearly out of the question, so I cannot show the rooms as I found them, but one thing is for certain, especially on the first floor much of the peeling wallpapers and decaying plasterwork, was reminescent of the final years of Parlington Hall. However do not get the impression that the house is falling apart, since it was taken on by English Heritage in 1990 it has been the subject of an ongoing preservation project. Therefore to some extent you get the best of both worlds, as it was, slowly declining in the twentieth century and how it was in its heyday in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the principal rooms all being fully restored and resplendent with much of the original furniture, pictures and fittings.
The following pictures are photographs of the interior taken of the postcards which are available in the shop, and are published with credit to English Heritage, please visit here
Brodsworth Hall survived into the late twentieth century with most of its original contents, the above picture is of a bedroom before restoration in 1990, and was as it was left unused since 1919, it is believed the interestingly shaped bed is from the 1850’s.
The Billiard Room, perhaps very similar to the one at Parlington, undoubtably a common thread is the interest in horse racing. This room remains intact with scoreboard and leather bound score book, along with the leather bench seating around the perimeter of the room raised by a step height above the general floor level.
The Victorian Kitchen is a must to see, and is overflowing with metal kitchen implements from a bygone era, no plastic in sight!