Renishaw Hall Museum and Art Gallery

A visit to Renishaw Hall and Gardens is a fantastic day out. Be in the heart of a country estate just 10 miles from Sheffield’s city centre. The Estate has been owned by the Sitwell Family for over 400 years. Tour the Hall, Gardens and Vineyard. The Family: The current owner of Renishaw is Alexandra Sitwell and family, daughter of the late Sir Reresby and Lady Sitwell. This extraordinary family have lived at Renishaw for over 400 years. Renishaw Hall: Tour the house to see some of the spectacular collection of art and historical artefacts that has been put together by generations of Sitwells. It is quite literally a treasure trove, of inestimable value to students and art lovers alike. Treasures include portraits by Sargent Salvatore Rosa and Copley. There are examples of furniture from Chippendale and magnificent tapesteries, murals by Piper and Blue John pottery. Gardens: Renishaw is rightly celebrated for the fabulous Italianate gardens. The formal garden was laid out in 1895 by Sir George Sitwell (1860-1943) in the classical Italianate style. Lady Sitwell and the late Sir Reresby restored much of the garden and enhanced the geometric design, retaining yew hedges, pyramids and antique statues, whilst adding ebullient (and ever widening) mixed borders, rose and clematis gardens and a host of exotic plants, many rarely hardy in this part of the country. On either side of the formal gardens are more naturalistic plantings with specimen trees, unusual shrubs and towering rambling roses. To the east of the garden, holly and camellia avenues lead to paths through mature woodland, down to the lakes originally excavated to enhance the view from the house.