Wentworth Woodhouse Working Party

Event details

Wentworth Woodhouse Working Party
Thursday 5 – Tuesday 10 June 2025

Sun’s out; trowels out! This year’s Summer Working Party will take place at Wentworth Woodhouse, one of the UK’s largest Georgian Houses. We’re thrilled to be partnering with SPAB’s Yorkshire Regional Group, locals who know the area – and this building – like the back of their hands.

Our Working Parties are open to all and are a unique opportunity to have a go at a range of conservation techniques on real historic buildings, under the guidance of world-class specialists.

You’ll get hands-on experience of masonry, carpentry and joinery, roof slating, window repair and lime plastering, along with a range of other skills. We’ll be using locally sourced materials and burning our own lime using a portable field kiln.

Join us to learn new skills, have fun, and help to bring these special historic buildings back to life!

Who is this event for?

Our Working Parties are for everyone! We welcome anyone with an interest in old buildings and a desire to get their hands dirty, so whether you’re an old hand on the tools or you’ve never picked up a trowel before, you’ll be among friends here.

We know desk-based heritage professionals love getting away from their screens to be on a real old building site; builders, craftspeople and crafts students love trying out new skills with top experts; people who live in or care for old buildings love having a go at crafts they might use on their home; and heritage enthusiasts just love being around old buildings with other people that love them!

You will learn

You’ll have the chance to get hands-on experience with: 

• Sash window repair, including carpentry and glazing
• Masonry, including repointing, and consolidating sandstone walls
• Gauged brickwork repointing and repair 
• Cornice brickwork repointing and repair
• Lime plastering
• Sandstone plastic repair trials
• Lime burning and lime mixing

Tutors

Our team of Working Party specialists includes:

• Jim Brearley-Ratcliffe, carpenter, mason and 2024 SPAB Fellow 
• Hugh Conway-Morris, architect, carpenter, lime kiln specialist and 2009 SPAB Scholar
• Lizzy Hippisley Cox, glass conservator and 2016 SPAB Fellow  
• Steve Hogarth, rope access conservator and 2022 SPAB Fellow  
• Lynn Mathias, brick and flint specialist and SPAB Guardian

Bursary places

We are delighted to be able to offer five bursary places. The bursary covers 100% of the standard ticket price plus a travel and subsistence allowance of up to £150, which can be claimed after the event on receipt of expenses.

Anyone can apply for a bursary, but priority will be given to:

• Students
• People who are unemployed or in need of financial assistance to attend the Working Party
• People from backgrounds underrepresented in building conservation

To apply, please email education@spab.org.uk by midday Monday 12 May.

Accessibility

You can expect the following conditions on site:

• Partial step-free access 
• Uneven surfaces 
• Significant periods of standing, walking and kneeling, so you may wish to bring a kneeling pad 
• Time spent working outdoors 
• Loud noises 
• Catering for dietary restrictions, if indicated on the booking form 

Unfortunately, we can’t allow dogs on site as it could be unsafe for them and our other participants.

Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email education@spab.org.uk.

Assessment

There is no formal assessment for this Working Party, but we can provide a Certificate of Attendance upon request.

You will need PPE – and workwear

Please bring:

• Ankle-high work boots (with steel toe caps and sole plate)
• Safety glasses
• Site gloves
• Dust masks

We’ll provide hard hats and high-vis vests.

Accommodation and facilities

Most of the attendees, staff and tutors will camp at Wentworth Woodhouse. The camping facilities are basic but are private to our group.

There are toilets, handwashing facilities and hot showers on site.

If you’d like to camp, please bring your own tent and camping equipment (see below). If you’d like to sleep in your campervan there will also be a dedicated campervan section on site.

We’ll provide breakfast and lunch from Friday to Monday, and breakfast on Tuesday. You’ll need to make your own arrangements for evening meals. Please note there is no fridge or cooking facilities on site, so we’d advise you to bring non-perishable food and your own camping stove. There will be access to BBQs.

Camping equipment

If you’re camping, please bring:

• Tent
• Sleeping bag
• Plate/bowl, cutlery and a mug
• A towel and toiletries, so you can make use of the hot showers on site 
• Any other camping equipment you’ll need

We’ll send a full list of suggested items with your joining instructions.

Catering

You’ll need to make your own arrangements for evening meals. If you’re planning to cook, please bring:

• Camping stove
• Non-perishable food (there is no fridge on site) 

We’ll provide breakfast and lunch from Friday to Monday, and breakfast on Tuesday.

Evening activities

After-hours tours of areas of Wentworth Woodhouse, including some not open to the public.

Free celebratory ceilidh on Monday 9 June.

Details of how to sign up for these will be emailed to participants before the event.
________________________________________
We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online.
All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions. 
Photo credit:  ©