Friday 11th - Sunday 19th February 2012

NEW, EXCITING HALF-TERM ACTIVITIES!

Our regular themed Garden Trail plus much more.

Crazy Creature Crawl: Sat 11th to Sun 19th February

Follow the clues as you explore the gardens and enjoy the great outdoors. Normal Gardens Admission applies.

Creature Cookies: Mon 13th and Tues 14th February

Get kitchen-creative with our cookie sessions, available at 11.30am and 1pm. £5 per child - booking essential.

Meet a Creature: Thurs 16th, Fri 17th and Sat 18th February

Not the usual creatures you might see around Wentworth Castle Gardens! There'll be creepy crawly cockroaches, loveable lizards and slithering snakes...

Suitable for children aged three and over. Cost: £5 per child - booking essential. Sessions at 11am, 12 noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Call 01226 776040 for further information and bookings, or click below to book via Tyg Tickets.

Meet the Fire Brigade: Weds 15th February from 10am to 4pm

Pancake Fun Day: Sun 19th February from 10am to 4pm

Come along and take part in our pancake-themed activities.

Sunday 26th February 2012

Birdwatching for Beginners

10.30am to 12.30pm

With no leaves on the trees, it's easier to pick out the commoner parkland birds. We'll keep an eye out for the winter visitors too.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Call 01226 776040 for more information.

To book online, please click on the buttons below to be redirected to Tyg Tickets.

Sunday 25th March 2012

Signs of Spring

10.30am to 12.30pm

Spring is the time of year when plants and wildlife respond to the increasing temperatures and wake up after winter. We'll wander through the Parkland looking at the plants and animals which tell us that warmer weather is on its way.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Call 01226 776040 for more details.

Thursday 12th April 2012

Team Building

The first session of our new Wentworth Junior Rangers Club will see children and adults getting to grips with a morning of fun team-building action. A two-hour session of games and wildlife-based activities. Remember to wear tough outdoor clothing and footwear as things might get a little messy! Suitable for children aged 8-13, but they must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Cost: £3 per person. Time: 11am

Children must be registered as club members. For more information call 01226 776040 or click here Wentworth Junior Rangers Club

Sunday 15th April 2012

Heronry Visit

10.30am to 12.30pm

Deep down in the woodland is The Heronry, one of the largest nesting sites in the area. This walk allows you to watch and listen to these magnificent and noisy birds as they build their nests, hatch and fledge their young.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket

Call 01226 776040 for details. Online booking available soon.

Saturday 5th - Monday 7th May 2012

SEALED KNOT GRAND MUSTER!

We are delighted to welcome back for the second year running, the Sealed Knot!  This time with more men, more horses and more fire in their first Grand Muster here!

Event commences on Saturday 5th May, with the living village, demonstrations & talks on their way of life, their food, their entertainment, uniform, weaponry.  Drills and displays will take place in the grounds.

The two big event days will be on Sunday 6th May and Monday 7th May, when Wentworth Castle Gardens will see a Grand Muster on both days, of almost 1,000 men and women!  It's bound to be an impressive sight, so come and join in the fun!

Further details to follow.

Friday 11th - Sunday 13th May 2012

'The Plant Hunters'

The Plant Hunters were extraordinary people and their expeditions to far flung places were far from mundane.  Who introduced bleeding heart, Clematis Montana and the more exotic species of Rhododendron?  Illustrated talks will bring the flowers to life, but we will also see how the plant hunters played a role in the development of the British Empire.  Time will be spent exploring Wentworth Castle formal gardens, and examine some of the plants brought in by the likes of Chinese Wilson and Joseph Hooker.

'Illustrating Garden Flowers'

Devoted to drawing and painting spring flowers in a friendly environment.  Aimed at beginners, but open to all, the course will cover observation, drawing and watercolour painting techniques through demonstrations and 1-2-1 tuition.

Course includes 2 nights B&B, lunch & evening meal

For further details please telephone 01226 776000 or email sarah.taylor@northern.ac.uk

Sunday 27th May 2012

Bioblitz!

All day event

Join forces with the experts as we see how many species we can find in Stainborough Park in the course of a single day, from early morning to dusk. From birds to bats, ladybirds to lichens - there's something here for all the family.

Our Parkland Events are £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Online booking available soon or call us on 01226 776040.

Sunday 17th June 2012

Butterfly Safari

1.30pm to 3.30pm

Join us on a Butterfly Safari in Stainborough Park. Learn to identify these colourful insects and discover some of the secrets of their lifestyles and habitats. The walk will cover some rough terrain, but the pace will be gentle with lots of stops to look at wildlife. If the sun doesn't shine, these beautiful creatures will disappear and so we will take the opportunity to look at other plants and animals in the Parkland.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket

Online booking available shortly or call 01226 776040 for more information

Saturday 23 - Sunday 24 June 2012

Lace Wars

Britain's premier 18th Century re-enactment society, Lace Wars, specialises in bringing to life the turbulent events of 1745 and 1746 when 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' attempted to recover the British crown for his exiled family. Often seen as England versus Scotland, the Jacobite Rebellion was in truth a civil war, with many families split down the middle. The Wentworths were no exception: Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (of the 2nd creation), was an active Jacobite, but son William, was loyal to King George II.

Wentworth Castle Gardens provides an ideal setting for Lace Wars' flagship event for 2012.  See encampments representing troops from the Jacobite and Government armies, see how the soldiers lived on campaign, what they ate and drank, what they did in their off-duty time. Arena displays looking at uniforms, equipment, weapons and fighting methods.  Each day will end in a skirmish.....

Thursday 19th July 2012

Summer Evening Stroll

Wildlife and Landscape History

6.30pm to 8.30pm

Take advantage of the long summer evenings and join us on an amble through the past. Discover how the landscape would have looked around 300 years ago. We can also look out for late evening wildlife as we stroll through the Parkland and Woodland.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Online booking available shortly or contact us on 01226 776040 for more information.

Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th August 2012

Diplomats, Goldsmiths and Baroque Court Culture: Lord Raby in Berlin and at Wentworth Castle 1701-39

Following on from the huge success of our first Conference in 2010, we welcome delegates to the our next Conference!

Presented by The Silver Society and The Wentworth Castle Heritage Trust, the conference marks the saving for the nation of Lord Raby's massive silver wine cooler. Exquisite in craftsmanship and spectacular in size, it was part of a silver dinner service made in 1706 for Lord Raby as Britain's first ambassdor to the Prussian Court. It will include lectures by several leading historical and metalwork experts.

The weekend will include an excursion to view the Raby Cistern at Temple Newsam.  Leaflet available shortly. To received further details, please register your interest by emailing: heritagetrust@wentworthcastle.org or calling 01226 776040

Thursday 30th August 2012

Bats and Moths

8.00pm to 10.00pm

Local experts will be on hand to help you discover more about the ecology of bats and moths and their amazing lifestyles.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Online booking available soon or call 01226 776040.

6th, 7th, 8th and 9th September 2012

Heritage Open Days

Free Event!

Join out Parkland Rangers on a walk around the monuments of Stainborough Park.

Sunday 21st October 2012

Fungal Foray

10.30am to 12.30pm

Take in all the magnificent colours of the autumn as you explore the Parkland and learn how to identify different fungi around the estate.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Call 01226 776040 for more information - online ticketing available shortly.

Saturday 10th November 2012

Birdwatching for Beginners

10.30am to 12.30pm

With no leaves on the trees it's easier to pick out the commoner parkland birds. We will keep a lookout for winter visitors too.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Call us on 01226 776040 for further details - online ticketing available soon for this event.

Sunday 2nd December 2012

Tree Walk - Part of National Tree Week

10.30am to 12.30am

At this time of the year the broad-leaved trees are forming their new buds and the conifers stand out in magnificent contrast. We will look at twig formation and winter silhouettes of the deciduous trees and the leaves and cones of the confers to help us identify these important members of our natural heritage.

Cost: £3 per person or £10 for a Family Ticket. Call 01226 776040 for further information - online ticketing for this event coming soon.