Cusworth Hall and Park
Cusworth Hall and Park is only 2 miles from Doncaster town centre and very close to the A1, easy to reach and a delightful place to spend a few hours. The house, which is now a museum, and grounds are free to get in - although you can always leave a donation to help with the upkeep of this Grade 1 listed building - you just have to pay for the car park.
Cusworth Hall was built between 1740 - 1744 for William Wrightson, the local land owner who had held the lordship of Cusworth since 1669. When William died, the estate went to his daughter Isabella and her husband John Battie - who took on the name Wrightson. They had the grounds landscaped, the serpentine river, lakes and woodland added - as well as the Rock arch and cascade.
The Hall remained in the Battie-Wrightson family for the next 200 years, until unaffordable death duties caused its sale - Doncaster Council purchased it and opened it as a museum in 1967. Between 1974 - 2005 it was known as The Museum of South Yorkshire Life, but following a Lottery grant, it was transformed back to its previous glory and re-opened in 2007 as Cusworth Hall, Museum and Park. Today it tells the lives of how local people have lived, as well as the family's history and the contribution they played in the Great War. Enjoy a wander through the house with me...................
The kitchen wing is fascinating - one of the best examples of a laid-out working 19th century kitchen.
Back upstairs to the Long Hall, also called The Principle Passage - it connects the entrance hall to the rest of the house. It has the main staircase as well as the servants staircase leading from it.
Further along the hallway is the Dining Room - which also has a wonderful painted ceiling. You are advised to keep "looking up" when you enter each room.
Every room has different displays, some permanent and others are just temporary exhibitions.
From the main entrance, you can see the impressive Gatehouse which was built about 1850 - a distinguished feature of the estate. The Gatehouse was home to the Betts family who worked on the estate for many years; as well as being a home to a game keeper and the butler at various times.
To the right of the Gatehouse is the Woodland area, planted with beech, silver birch, walnut and oak trees. There was once a pet cemetery within the woods too. During the 2nd World War the estate became a military base and Nissan huts were put up around the park to house the troops. The concrete bases are supposedly still amongst the trees - but I didn't see any.
The Old House brewery offers a great range of beers brewed within the grounds.
The Bothy belonged to the original Cusworth manor house and is older than the present hall. From here walk downhill through the Shrubbery walk gardens towards the lakes.
At the bottom of the hill, you can see the original 1733 entrance in the wall of the kitchen garden which is now blocked up. This area is also where you will find the orchard, the bowling green and the horse close - before arriving at the game keeper's cottage, which is now a private home.
The views up towards the Hall are spectacular, at any time of the year.
The Cascade was built to look like a natural waterfall - it is quite hidden from view though.
This Rock Arch was built in 1763, and the Wrightson family used it as a boat house so they could go boating on the lake.
After a gentle saunter around the lake, you can walk back up to the hall several different ways; but I chose to walk up what is known as the Hanging Lawn. The autumn colours were beautiful, and there are extensive views over Doncaster once you reach the top.
Lady Isabella's garden was created in 1907, a rose garden laid out how an Edwardian garden of the time may have looked - as no photographs show this garden as it was.
The former stables and coach house have been converted into a Tea Room - a delightful place to have a drink or something to eat. Make sure you go upstairs, it is quieter and the decor is fabulous!
On the way back to the car park, there is a children's park and grassed areas to have a picnic or play games on. There are various walking trails from the Hall and some that run close-by - so if you fancy walking further - there is always plenty to do.
Thank you,
Lynne
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