Two Pairs Of Gates Including Gate Piers And Figures Adjoining The East Front Of Wentworth Castle With Iron Railings Enclosing The Garden Between And Balustrades Of Terraces To South

STAINBOROUGH WENTWORTH CASTLE SE30SW 1/46 Two pairs of gates including gate piers and figures adjoining 18.3.68 the east front of Wentworth Castle with iron railing enclosing the garden between and balustrades of terraces to south GV II Two sets of gates with gate piers and attached railings and balustrades. Mostly of 1912 for Captain Bruce Vernon-Wentworth, early C18 statues to south gatepiers possibly by John van Nost for Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (Humphrey, pp308-310). Ashlar sandstone, wrought-iron railings, lead statues. Pair of gate piers set at right angles to each end of the east front of Wentworth Castle linked by wrought-iron panels to rusticated retaining walls with steps which flank the house. Lawn to east of house is enclosed by attached wrought-iron railings and by balustraded retaining wall; similar attached balustraded wall lines eastern flank of the south lawn of house. Gate piers: each with plinth, sunken-panelled shaft and band beneath cornice; southern piers surmounted by outfacing statues of griffin and lion, the supporters of the Strafford arms. Gates have decorative scrollwork and lyre motifs, scroll-crested top rail with bobbin finials to bars. Matching iron-work panels link to retaining walls that flank the east front, each wall with outflared flight of nosed steps and balustrade (that on south damaged). Ironwork railings slope down to balustrade across east front. Balustrades moulded plinth, dies separate panels of 6 balusters with die stops and corniced copings. Balustrade lining south lawn is similar, its plinth set on concrete footing and with more balusters between each die.

The lead statues may well be amongst those shown on Badeslade's Prospect of Stainborough (1730); a matching pair apparently has been moved to William Wentworth's other house, Boughton Hall, Northants.

J. E. Humphrey, 'A Prospect of Stainborough', unpub. thesis, Sheffield, 1984.

Listing NGR: SE3204303164