Discover the Largest House in Europe and Just How Big 250,000 Square Feet Really Is 

Ah, to live in a stately home with a full staff of butlers and maids would be a total dream, wouldn’t it? You would feel as if you woke up back in Downton Abbey, a character from the 1920s fulfilling your dream as an Earl or Countess. There are people all over the world who live in huge mansions and actually have a life like the one from the popular television series. There are mansions all over the world with a staff of hundreds, even. But which one is the biggest of them all?

Let’s explore the largest house in Europe. Wentworth Woodhouse is in England and it’s an astonishing 250,000 square feet! We’ll go over the dimension in more detail, where the stately home is located, its architecture and history, and the wildlife in the area, too.

Where Is Wentworth Woodhouse?

Wentworth Woodhouse is located in the village of Wentworth, which is the borough of Rotherham. Rotherham is part of South Yorkshire, which is in northeastern England. Up until 2017, the Newbold family owned the estate, but they sold it. Currently, Wentworth Woodhouse is under restoration and the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust owns it.

Dimensions of Wentworth Woodhouse

The building has a whopping 300 rooms and it covers 250,000 square feet. From that square footage, there are 124,600 square feet of living space. The building is on 2.5 acres of land and a 180-acre park surrounds the estate. The estate is a total of 15,000 acres.

Architecture of the Mansion

The estate is actually two joint houses with a total of five stories. Firstly, the original house faced west and had a garden that faces toward the village of Wentworth. The west front of the house was built in brick with stone. The eastern front was then built because of a family rivalry. The other family-owned Wentworth Castle prompted the Wentworths living at the estate to construct a larger, more opulent house.

History of Wentworth Woodhouse

Construction began in 1725, ordered by Thomas Watson-Wentworth when he inherited the estate from his father who had passed away in 1723. The original structure was the home of the 1st Earl of Strafford, Thomas Wentworth. The expansion took place throughout the century. The building had a total of five architects by the time construction on the expansions finished in 1750. Afterwards, Former Prime Minister of England, the Marquess of Rockingham, inherited the estate and invited Benjamin Franklin as a guest in 1771.

However, the most famous guests the estate had were King George V and Queen Mary. They stayed there for four days from July 8 to 12, 1912. The Earl Fitzwilliam threw a house party in their honor which notable guests attended including the Archbishop of York, the Earl of Harewood, the Marquess of Zetland, and other dignitaries. The creator of Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, based the movie of the popular television series on the royal visit to Wentworth Woodhouse. Furthermore, Fellowes filmed parts of the movie at the estate.

Grounds of the Mansion

Wentworth Woodhouse isn’t just a mansion, it is also part of a park and other buildings that make up the grounds. The owner of the estate in 1790 decided to create an opulent garden and hired Humphry Repton to create the park. There was a bowling green with four obelisks and two large pools on the east front of the house. The renowned gardener planted trees along the estate for a more decorated look.

As for the structures that are in the estate. There was a Tuscan column that was built in remembrance of Admiral Keppel, a close friend of one of the owners. A three-story mausoleum of the Rockingham family was built, which houses the remains of many of the family members. On the ground floor, there is a memorial statue of the Marquess of Rockingham, who was also Prime Minister of England. Other pyramids are located throughout the grounds, as well. Lastly, there is a smaller house called Camellia House. The house was built to fit the impressive collection of camellias the family had.

Wildlife in Wentworth and Rotherham

South Yorkshire is a hilly region with several valleys. It also contains rocky areas where miners worked. When it comes to wildlife, many animals live in the region. In terms of mammals, it is common to find harvest mice roaming around the area, as well as badgers, red foxes, and bank voles.

There are many bird species in the region, too. You can spot several if you’re careful and into bird watching. Some of the birds you can see are dippers, dunnocks, kingfishers, hen harriers, peregrine falcons, and robins. If you move toward the coast there are many mallard ducks, little egrets, and herring gulls.

As for the flora, there are many wildflower and tree species. Wood sorrels, Yorkshire fogs, honeysuckles, and heathers are among the most common wildflowers you can find in this region. When it comes to trees, you are more likely to see English oaks and English elms.

Other Big Properties Around the World

Wentworth Woodhouse isn’t the only big estate in the world. Every country has at least a few. Let’s take a look at some big properties around the world that rival Wentworth Woodhouse in size and grandiosity.

• Lakshmi Vilas Palace: Located in Vadodara, India, the palace is 30.45 million square feet and was built in 1890. Today it is worth a whopping $2.95 million.
• Istana Nurul Iman: Located in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, the palace is 2.15 million square feet and was built in 1984. It is worth a total of $1.4 billion.
• Buckingham Palace: Located in London, UK, this is the official residence of King Charles III and it is 828,800 square feet. Built in 1703, it has housed every monarch since Queen Victoria and it is worth $4.9 billion.
• Ambani Estate: Located in Mumbai, India, the estate is 400,000 square feet and is owned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani. It is worth $2 billion.
• Biltmore Estate: Located in Asheville, North Carolina, the famous Vanderbilt family constructed the estate between 1889 and 1895. A total of 175,000 square feet, the estate is worth $157 million.

Conclusion

And there you have it, the largest house in Europe is Wentworth Woodhouse, which is a whopping 250,000 square feet. Stately homes have been around since noble times when wealthy landowning men would erect giant palatial homes to show off their wealth and even more to give back to their community and the economy. Today, many stately homes in England serve as catalysts to the local economy. They are open to the public and you can see how many of the wealthy used to and still live.

As you walk through the halls of Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham, UK, feel the wisp of wealth going up and down your spine. If only the walls could talk, right? The history that circled around at the height of the state is one for the storybooks. Imagine what it was like in the early 20th century being waited on by a staff of dozens or even hundreds. It’s not hard to think about it, that’s for sure!