The Rotherham Bugle

On a day when  it was announced that the government have earmarked £7.6 million to help repair Wentworth Woodhouse, there was more good news for the popular local landmark. An amateur historian has solved a puzzle which has caused furious debate amongst both locals and visitors to the area,  for generations.

Majestic Wentworth Woodhouse stands in 250 acres of glorious parkland on the outskirts of the town. Most Rotherham residents know it well and have marvelled at its splendour,  but nobody has come up with a satisfactory answer to one baffling question  – why would anybody in their right mind build something like that round here? Well now local historian Tom Oldman says he has  discovered the answer.

“I was as baffled as anyone”, he told us “but then I got a book out of the library and read it.” Incredibly, Tom discovered that ‘round here’, as we know it didn’t exist when the great house was built. “It’s true” he said “When that baby went up in 1740  there was none of this shit – no Retail World at Parkgate, no Booths scrap yard, no B&Q, not even the old one. There wasn’t even a dump-it site at Greasbrough. It was just like Derbyshire, with fields and that.”

Bill Parker, who has lived in  Greasbrough on the edge of the estate all his life was amazed when we told him, “It’s incredible.” he said when we caught up with him fly tipping an old mattress,  some worn tyres and a fridge on a back road near the Barbot Hall Industrial estate. “To think that right under my feet is old countryside and grass and stuff. Wouldn’t it be great if  it was like that now?”