Photo Credit: Andrewrabbott licensed under Creative Commons

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This is a joint meeting with the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society

This presentation will outline the restoration work undertaken at Wentworth Woodhouse and Keppel’s Column.

The £5 million restoration of Wentworth Woodhouse’s Camellia House involved repairing structural elements, reinstating its glazed roof, and incorporating modern energy-efficient technologies like ground-source heat pumps and underfloor heating. The project successfully transformed the derelict Grade II listed building into a tea house and event venue, preserving the historic camellia plants while integrating contemporary design.

Keppel’s Column in Rotherham was the subject of a major restoration project completed in 2022, which addressed severe structural issues including cracking and stonework erosion, and replaced the deteriorating internal staircase. The column was stabilized using a series of vertical and horizontal ties The severely broken internal staircase, which had been a major structural issue, was replaced with new metal treads that tie the inner and outer brick shafts together.  The missing rotating roof covering was reinstated to protect the column and its shaft, and the metal railings on the cap were replaced to replicate original components.

About the Speaker

Gez Pegram