Yorkshire born & bred

I have a framed painting of the little houses in Paradise Square in Wentworth Village, I have a rather rose tinted view of myself living in the house at the top of the gardens and my Son and Daughter and their families living in the houses each side of the garden, with (perhaps, staff living in the others - applications open if anyone interested). I have mentioned this idea to my DIL who, straight faced said she thought the house I had selected for her would be too small for them lol (this was a free house I was giving her as well!!)

I am sorry I am totally obsessed with Wentworth village.

Greyduster it's a story greater than fiction! Yes you are right Peter was the eighth earl.

I’m pretty sure it was Peter Fitzwilliam, the 8th earl, who died in the plane crash in 1948 with Kick Kennedy, Whatdayisit.

That's Billy Fitzbilly not Jacob Rees Mogg lolol!
After Billy Fitzbilly left the NCB took the coal seam to the steps of the house and the social history is as divided.

Nightowl you must. There are 2 houses in one and they are worth the money.
Wow I am excited the history is there Billy fitzbilly is the 7th earl I think who died in the plane crash with kick Kennedy. Would be grandfather to Jacob Rees Moggs wife. He was popular with the villagers as one of the lads.
I love listening to the social history.

Yes whatdayisit I agree, it is a village where you want to look in at peoples’ lives! I keep meaning to book one of the house tours, I would love to see inside. I think my dad started my fascination with the place, he was very knowledgeable about local history and used to talk about ‘Billy Fitzbilly’ who features in Black Diamonds. When I was a teenager we went on holiday to a farm B&B in Cornwall, and met a man there who had worked for Earl Fitzwilliam (not at Wentworth sadly). Many anecdotes were shared that week and my dad was in his element!

Thank you everyone for reminding me of these lovely memories, and of how much I miss home

Wentworth Woodhouse is often used for tv and films now I think it was Buckingham Palace in The Darkest Hour. It has been used in the Jenna Coleman series Victoria and David Walliam's Billionaire Boy! And many more!

I'm sorry Hellogirl I was imagining you were making the journey when you were a child visiting relatives. So not much will have changed at any of the places really and the pits were already closed. I hope you all enjoy the meal and get together in Barnsley.

Greyduster it is a fab book isn't it. I couldn't put it down either. I think the house tours are £25 or half price for National Trust members. We have been on a few and they are really good especially if you have read the book. I keep meaning to visit Katherine Kennefy's grave at Chatsworth I found her story in the book very sad and of course many of the others are tragic.
We went to Wentworth Castle gardens a couple of weeks ago and it was such a good mooch about great views from the top of the castle!

Nightowl don't say you are going on I could read your memories all day. Wentworth village is beautiful at Christmas isn't it and practically unchanged now.
We spent every Sunday afternoon walking round Wentworth when te tiers let us before Christmas then when we were allowed after. Looking round the churchyard and up to the follies. Watching the seasons change.

But it is just one of them villages where you want to look in at peoples lives - in their gardens and at their Christmas decorations! There is a good antique centre there and a very popular garden centre too.

All this talk of Yorkshire is making me homesick. I was born and lived in the West Riding (I refuse to recognise the ridiculous title of South Yorkshire) but now exiled in the next county for 35 years.

whatdayisit and Greyduster I love Wentworth and ‘Black Diamonds’ too. I have very fond memories of Wentworth village, I had an Uncle and Aunt who lived in one of the tiny cottages there, and we would all crowd in at Christmas. I think I had my first taste of babycham there when I was not very old! There was a lady who lived in one of the lodges of Wentworth Woodhouse who made my Whitsuntide dresses every year, and I loved visiting her. The house was Lady Mabel Teacher Training College at that point. I thought her cottage was like something out of a fairy tale. I would wander into the park and try to get close to the deer. I was convinced I could tame one if I was patient enough. I remember years later riding my friend’s horse in the park with the house as a backdrop - we galloped full stretch and I felt like the lady of the manor!

Sorry to go on, so many happy memories of that area, I love it still.

Another Yorkshire born and bred but living in France now. I normally visit home, Harrogate,every year, have missed my 'touching base' alot with the covid sigh, maybe next year,sigh

Whatdayisit I have just finished reading BlackDiamonds, having been fascinated by Wentworth Woodhouse and it’s history for a long time. Couldn’t put it down. What a tragic family. We’ve not been there since all the renovations began. Wentworth Castle Gardens is a good day out too. We live in Sheffield so both are near to us.

No, Whatdayisit, I haven`t been to Elsecar for quite a long time. We were going to visit my mother, went twice a year, but then she went into a home, so it became Hoyland Common where we were visiting. Then my mother died in 2004, so we haven`t been back since, although myself and 2 of my daughters are going over to Barnsley on the 25th to meet up with some of my siblings for a meal, I don`t know where, they`ve chosen the venue.

And the people in Barnsley are so friendly. I would vote them the friendliest in Yorkshire!

Beautiful area Kateykrunch. And there are the now famous on Ch5 farmers at Cannon Hall farm.
And the antiques centre in Cawthorne which is always good for a mooch and a cafe visit. I trust it is has survived covid?
Barnsley is another underrated area of Yorkshire.

I am Yorkshire born and bred and have lived here all my life.
I live close to Cannon Hall Park, Museum and Gardens in Cawthorne, just outside Barnsley on the South/West Yorkshire borders. The Park has had a major revamp with Lottery money and has had pathways and the Lake reinstated with boats and a Swan pedalo. Newest feature is the Monster Trail through the trees with a bent and bashed cage that the Monster has escaped from...eek! I loved it, I am 66 and 19 days old, so expect everyones Grandchildren will love it as well, fabulous areas for a picnic and it is FREE! (car park £3ish).

Wow Hellogirl! What a trek! I bet Elsecar hasn't changed much housing wise either! Although rather than industry and pits it's a heritage centre now. And they are trying to get model village status like Saltaire or Bournville It probably was the Rotherham bus Elsecar is heading that way.
The picture house in Holmfirth is a live music venue now I'm not sure about films. Who ever you were visiting must have been worth making the effort for. I'm trying to imagine the landscapes you passed through there must have been beautiful countryside and industrial murkiness.
The coal seem round Elsecar and that part of Barnsley was apparently the best coal you could get. There is a huge house in the next village to Elsecar - Wentworth - called Wentworth Woodhouse. It was owned by one of the richest families in Britain at one point because of the coal.
It is the largest privately owned house in Europe bigger than Buckingham Palace! The daughter of one of the last Earl's is the mother in law of Jacob Rees Mogg! They lost the house because of the inheritance tax laws like a lot of the old properties.
A fascinating building there is a book called Black Diamonds which tells the house and family story.
Have you been back to Elsecar more recently Hellogirl?
Sorry for going on Wentworth Woodhouse and the surrounding area is a passion of mine. One of the many most beautiful areas of Yorkshire.

Whatdayisit, the bus journey took about 2 hours, I think. Then when we got to Barnsley bus station we had to wait for a bus to Elsecar, I think it was the Rotherham bus. It took us from early morning till lunchtime to get there, then did in reverse after tea. All that for about 4 hours!
Oh, and yes, I remember seeing the old picture house. Do folk still say they`re going to the pictures?

Hellogirl if you were to get the bus into Holmfirth again not much has changed in that area. And there is still the old picture house which you may have seen too! That journey must have took quite a long time!

I am Yorkshire born and bred - my Grandad's family tree goes back to the Vikings landing up the River Tees and his father's family tree at some point gave some land to the Monks at Fountains Abbey.

I was born in Scarborough in North Yorks and moved to Wakefield in West Yorks in 1996. In November I pass the milestone where I will have lived in West Yorkshire longer than North (25 years nearly in both).
I always was a North Yorkshire lass but I love love love the industrial heritage of West Yorks.
I was going to move abroad when I was 23 but the train journey home from Manchester airport showed off the beauty of the pennines, the vale of York and to the coast.
I have pilgrimages every year and in different seasons - Haworth, Saltaire, East Riddlesden Hall, Helmsley, Fountains Abbey, Thirsk and of course some lovely bracing walks round Scarborough.
There are some beautiful places in the UK we are so lucky. I love the Lakes and Scotland and Wales. Every County in England has it's own beauty and appeal but I love Yorkshire.

My Grandma used to talk about doing war work in Leeds and it's nice to go there and think about where she went. Her mother's family came from a fishing family in Whitby they were all put in the poor house when the father died at sea off Canada. And one of his sons drowned coming in to Whitby Harbour. So I like a pilgrimage to Whitby to look around where they lived and think about them as children playing round the abbey and running back to there home on Boulby Bank.
We are very lucky to live in Yorkshire today.

Lewie

I've lived in West Yorkshire for 44 years, (although still a soft southerner, originally from London) and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

I’m a southerner too, from Essex/Kent. Have only lived in West Yorkshire ( near Holmfirth) for 6 years. ?

Hi there , born in Bradford brought up near Halifax, now in Cheshire. Love cheshire but not as much as Yorkshire ! Can’t beat the dales , spent much if my youth walking with the YHA - happy days ,

Yes born and almost bred.
Born in Sheffield, moved to London and then back to near Pontefract, then to Leeds until I married and went to Scotland. From there to London, Holland and now Leicestershire but still a Yorkshire girl at heart.

Born in Surrey but have lived in North Yorkshire for 44 years and married to a Yorkshire man 'born and bred' for nearly 42.

Beautiful part of the world to live; love it.

I`ve never actually set foot in Holmfirth, but when we lived in Lancashire we`d take the bus from Manchester to Barnsley, and it always stopped for a while in Holmfirth, but not for us to get off and look around. I remember we used to stop near a river and a bridge, but it`s a long time ago now, memory`s a bit hazy.

I am from Holmfirth, well, a village just up the road. Holmfirth was our shopping centre. I still live in West Yorkshire.