Wentworth Woodhouse Muniments

WWM

Wentworth Woodhouse Muniments

12th century-20th century

The family and estate papers of the Wentworth, Watson Wentworth and Fitzwilliam families. The capital estate was at Wentworth Woodhouse at Wentworth, near Rotherham in South Yorkshire (formerly in the West Riding of Yorkshire). Some records relate to the estate in Malton in North Yorkshire (and there are related documents in the North Yorkshire County Record Office for that), and records relating both to the estates in Ireland of the Wentworths, Earls of Strafford) and to the Fitzwilliam Irish estates in Wicklow. Other records relate to the London house in Grosvenor Square and a few items to other houses in Newmarket and Wimbledon.

Three groups amongst the Personal and Political Papers are of national importance:

Papers of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, minister of Charles I and deputy of Ireland, executed in May 1641.

Papers of the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham, 1730-1782, Whig Prime Minister, who died in office. Due to his stand in opposition there is significant information relating to the American colonies and events leading to American independence; other papers relate to his personal interests in horse breeding and horse racing as well as the completion of the building and decoration of the mansion at Wentworth, begun by his father, the 1st Marquis.

Papers of Edmund Burke, Rockingham's secretary, including manuscripts of his speeches, with notes and other writings.

The later Earls had a significant role in local and regional government.

Personal and Political Papers

Papers of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (1593-1641) WWM/Str P/1-44

Papers of the Bright family of Carbrook, Sheffield, and Badsworth 1623-1752 WWM/Br P/1-214

Papers of Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquis of Rockingham (1693-1750) WWM/M/1-28

Papers of Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquis of Rockingham (1730-1782 WWM/R/1-229

Papers of William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam (1748-1833) WWM/F/1-134

Papers of Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 5th Earl Fitzwilliam (1786-1857) WWM/G/1-102

Papers of William Thomas Spencer Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 6th Earl Fitzwilliam (1815-1902) WWM/T/1-117

Papers relating to Yorkshire and other elections, 18th - 19th century WWM/E/1-243

Papers relating to West Riding Militia, Yeomanry and Volunteers, 1794-1819 WWM/Y/1-75

Papers of Edmund Burke (1729-1797) WWM/Bk P/1-50

Papers of William, 2nd Earl of Albemarle, 1746-1748 WWM/Albemarle/1-2

Papers of Sir John Wentworth (d. 1820) and Sir Charles Wentworth (d. 1844) WWM/Gov/1-256

Estate Records

Manorial court rolls and papers for the manors of Tinsley, Wath upon Dearne, Newall Grange, Thornhill Hall, Greasbrough and Barbot Hall, Hooton Roberts, Wentworth, Tankersley, Ecclesall and others, 13th - 19th century WWM/C/1-10

Stewards' correspondence and papers, 18th - 20th century WWM/Stw P/1-34

Maps and plans, 18th - 19th century WWM/MP/1-136

Opencast mining papers, 1941-1971 WWM/O/1-84

Account books and rentals, 18th - 19th century

(Includes rentals and accounts for English and Irish estates, household, farm, stable and colliery accounts, executors' accounts and inventories) WWM/A/1-485, 619-1650

Vouchers to accounts, 18th-19th century

(Includes estate and household vouchers etc, and vouchers for personal and family expenses) WWM/Vouchers

Deeds relating to English and Irish estates, including wills and settlements, 12th - 19th century WWM/D/1-1856

Records of the East Doncaster Estates Company (Cantley Hall estate) 17th - 20th century WWM/E Donc/1-234

Other Records and Manuscript Volumes

Manuscript volumes and treatises, 16th - 18th century and undated WWM/MS/1-45

Miscellaneous papers WWM/Misc/1-287

Printed Material

American handbills, 1763-1775, undated WWM/A H/1-12

American newspapers, 1765-1782 WWM/A N/1-24

Handbills, 17th - 19th century, undated WWM/H/1-278

Newspapers (English, Scottish, Irish, French and Australian), 1763-1869 WWM/N/1-40

Pamphlets and books, 16th - 19th century WWM/P/1-19

<span class="wrapper"><p>Accounts for the Malton estate and Derwent Navigation, WWM/A/486-618: transferred to North Yorkshire County Record Office, 12 Feb 1987</p> <p>Vouchers for the Malton estate and Derwent Navigation: transferred to North Yorkshire County Record Office, 21 April 1986</p></span>

English

• <famname>Watson family of Wentworth Woodhouse, West Riding of Yorkshire</famname>
• <famname>Wentworth, Watson-, family of Wentworth Woodhouse, West Riding of Yorkshire</famname>
• <famname>Fitzwilliam family of Wentworth Woodhouse, West Riding of Yorkshire</famname>

4 Sub fonds

Records relating to the estate are closed for 50 years

Records of a personal nature are closed for 75 years

Records relating to the Sturgeon family are closed for 100 years

A written application form to use the collection must be completed

The collection is now in two ownerships. The personal and political papers and those relating to the Irish estates were accepted in lieu of inheritance tax by H.M.Treasury in 2001 and allocated to Sheffield City Council. The estate and other papers remain in private ownership

Much material is on microfilm (see information for individual sections)