Brodsworth Hall, South Yorkshire (Brodsworth Hall and Gardens (South Yorkshire))

Member Name: micksheff

Product:	Brodsworth Hall and Gardens (South Yorkshire)
Date:	05/10/08 (126 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of history

Disadvantages: Admission charges

I first discovered Brodsworth Hall quite by chance. I was visiting nearby Cusworth Hall and took a wrong turn, but faced with a huge country mansion in front of me I didn't actually realise for a while that I was heading towards another hall. Once I realised my mistake I headed off in the right direction to Cusworth Hall but the image of this hall nearby always stayed with me.

It was about a year later when I was thinking about somewhere to take some friends when I remembered this other hall and off we set. Brodsworth Hall claimed to be one of the best preserved English manor houses in existence but this is a boast that I had heard many times before so when I arrived my expectations were not all that high. First impressions however are usually a good sign and I was right to presume that something that looked so good from the outside couldn't disappoint on the inside.

The hall stands in 15 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and a couple of hours could quite easily be spent just exploring the gardens. Highlights for me included the miniature Victorian garden and the Rose Garden where there were hundreds of different types of roses in all shapes, sizes and colours. There is a ticket option available that just allows access to the gardens but to be honest it would be a bit of a waste to come here and not explore the house as well.

The house was designed in the 19th century by the Italian architect, Chevalier Casentini. It was built as the family home of Charles Sabine Augustus Thellusson. He inherited the estate in 1859 and the house was built for his family to live in. It continued to be occupied by this family until 1988 when the last owner, Sylvia Grant-Dalton, a direct descendant of Charles Sabine Augustus Thellusson died. She had lived here for 56 years but the rising costs to upkeep such a large house had meant that she has shut off several rooms and these had begun to fall into a state of disrepair. Following the death of Sylvia Grant-Dalton Brodsworth Hall was acquired by English Heritage. It was assumed that money would be spent returning the house to its former glory but in fact a decision was made to spend very little money. Essential repairs to a leaking roof were carried out and the gardens were tidied up but it quickly became evident that the real charm of this place was that it had been preserved in a way that depicted the changing fortunes of a wealthy Victorian family. This was something that could never be recreated so the rooms were left more or less as they had been found.

From the moment that I entered the lobby I realised that there was a warm ambience to this place. So many houses like this have been turned into formal museums and feel cold and slightly inhospitable. Brodsworth Hall still feels lived in and more importantly it still feels loved. This might have something to do with the fact that the present descendants of the family still live on this estate in another private house, but they visit here regularly and no decisions regarding the house are made by English heritage without their consent.

Inside the house there are over 30 different rooms to explore. To preserve the items on display it is not possible to wander freely around the majority of these rooms as these are roped off but there are walkways through the rooms that allow you to see everything there. The two things that stick in my mind most vividly are the huge chandeliers that seem to be in almost every room and the excessive use of silk, which includes silk curtains, cushions and tapestries.

The grandest rooms are of course the large reception rooms but my favourite rooms of the house were the library and the grand master bedroom and the contrasting plainness of the servant's quarters. The library was one of the areas of the house that was closed off in the years following the Second World War and this is perhaps why it feels like one of the oldest most dated rooms in the house. The reception rooms on the other hand were always a show of strength even when the family's fortunes dwindled and some of the large gold gilt framed mirrors were moved into these rooms from elsewhere along with other items giving some of these areas a rather cluttered appearance that is over the top and doesn't really fit in with the general laid back feel of the rest of the rooms.

Brodsworth Hall is located approximately 5 miles (8 kilometres) to the north west of Doncaster town centre. It is sign posted and easily accessible by car but it is not served by public transport. There is a large car parking area just inside the entrance.

Both the hall and gardens are open daily (except Mondays) between March and September when they are open between 1pm and 5pm. During October they are only open on Saturday and Sundays between 10am and 4pm. During the period November to February the main hall is closed, except for the servant's wing. This, and the gardens are open on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 4pm.

Admission charges for the hall and gardens are:

Adults - £8.50 (13 Euros)
Children - £4.30 (7 Euros)
Concessions - £6.80 (10 Euros)

Charges for the gardens only are:

Adults - £5.00 (7.5 Euros)
Children - £2.50 (3.75 Euros)
Concessions - £4.00 (6 Euros)

Entry is free for English Heritage members.

Brodsworth Hall
Brodsworth
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
DN5 7XJ

Telephone: (01302) 724969
Fax: (01302) 337165

Overall I think Brodsworth Hall makes for a great day out. It is always good to see how the other half live (or lived).

Summary: A fine example of an old Victorian manor house