Big-hearted businesses steamrollered in for Wentworth Woodhouse

That’s the festive spirit! Big-hearted businesses steamrollered in for Wentworth Woodhouse

There was only one thing Wentworth Woodhouse Chief Operating Officer Dean Borrington wanted for Christmas…

A smooth road ahead for customers heading to the mansion’s newest commercial venture, its beautifully restored Georgian Camellia House.

The £5m regeneration of the Grade II* garden building was completed in the spring and customers are flocking.

But there was next-to-nothing in the kitty to pay for a £100,000 road from the mansion’s main driveway to the West Front garden entry gate.

Scores of Christmas party and corporate hire bookings had been made and the main route was a bumpy dirt track, which became very muddy in bad weather..

Dean turned to Simon Gill, the Trust’s new Head of Heritage (Buildings and Landscapes).

At his previous place of work, UNESCO World Heritage Site Cromford Mills in Derbyshire’s Derwent Valley, Simon’s determination saw him reinstate water wheel power, providing free electricity.

Simon took up the challenge, put out a festive plea to big-hearted and supportive Yorkshire businesses and within a month, Dean got his Christmas wish. 

Wentworth Woodhouse had its brand new road by the second week in December and it cost the trust only a nominal sum.

The biggest thanks go to SteelPhalt, a sustainable asphalt solutions company based in Rotherham since 1964.

It provided 120 tonnes of SteelSurf, a high-performing asphalt which will provide a smooth ride for visitors for many years to come, as it is designed to last under extreme weather conditions and high-volume traffic. 

SteelPhalt’s aggregate products are low carbon and incorporate up to 95% steel slag, a steel mills byproduct. This repurposing diverts the material from landfill into a value-added product and helps the environment.

The Ickles-based company has come to Wentworth Woodhouse’s rescue before – it gallantly stepped in to resurface the badly potholed main driveway shortly after the Trust took ownership of the Grade I listed stately home in 2017.

“We are delighted to support such a prestigious project located in our borough and contribute towards bringing Wentworth Woodhouse back to life for the surrounding Community,” said SteelPhalt’s MD Lee Birkbeck.

Civil engineers Mason Clark Associates, based in Leeds, Hull and York, cut their fees and carried out feasibility and drainage reports and produced design drawings.

Huge support came from William Birch & Sons Ltd, the York-based heritage construction specialists who worked on the Camellia House restoration and Phase 1 of the mansion’s Stables project.

Its MD Paul Goyea volunteered to fund the groundworks, which were carried out at a reduced cost by M Toyne Groundworks Ltd. The Barton company, which also worked on the Camellia House and The Stables projects, laid 40 tonnes of crushed gravel and created 20m of dropped kerbs in just two days.

William Birch’s project manager John Hutton oversaw all work, which was often carried out at weekends to get the task completed swiftly.

Paul Goyea said: “We have really enjoyed working at Wentworth Woodhouse and have gained a deep appreciation for the immense dedication and effort required to secure the funding necessary to restore such remarkable heritage assets. 

“It has been a privilege to play a small part in helping the team achieve their goals by contributing to the development of the road, and we look forward to supporting these efforts in the future.”

Simon Gill commented: “Our visitors use the route to get to the Camellia house, whether on foot, in our golf buggies or new E-buses, but it was really bumpy and got boggy in bad weather. Dean was head in hands, thinking about the impact on winter bookings.

“I told him I’d sort it and got my Santa hat on. We took SteelsPhalt’s people for lunch in the Camellia House and they immediately saw what a problem we had and got onboard.

“They enlisted the support of Rotherham company CS Surfacing Ltd. Its boss, Zane Cassells provided a team of six men and all machinery required to lay and flatten the surface for free.

“Teamwork, and amazing Christmas goodwill from people who really care about Wentworth Woodhouse got the job done.”

The new road is also being used by the Wentworth Fitzwilliam Estate’ s tenant farmer on neighbouring land.

Dean Borrington said: “The access road was desperately needed. Jobs like these are so difficult for us as a charitable trust to afford and deliver. We are hugely grateful to everyone involved for the incredible effort they put in.

“The new road is a game-changer for us – it seals the future of the Camellia House as a thriving dining venue and private events space and also benefits our ongoing development of The Stables at Wentworth Woodhouse, which will become the main entry point to the house and gardens.”