The Temple was built by William Wentworth in the 1760s. This pretty 'pillared seat' or summer house has been cleaned and the delicate plaster ceiling reinstated. It provides the opportunity for panoramic views across the East Park, and a tantalising glimpse of the beautifully restored Rotunda to the south east.

In the far distance, two hundred years ago, you would have been able to glimpse 'the ruins of an imaginary city'. This was William's most ambitious creation - his most fantastic folly. All along the horizon, from the 1760s and for the next forty years, he built Towers, Ruins, Battlements and even a Pyramid. A few remnants of these extraordinary structures do survive, though now largely obscured by the spread of later housing development.

The Temple sits in complete harmony with the south front of Wentworth Castle, now home to the Northern College. Both reflect the serene classicism of Palladian architecture, which William no doubt saw and enjoyed during his 'Grand Tour' in 1741.