Cusworth Hall and Park

About the museum

The present Cusworth Hall was built between about 1740 and 1745 for William Wrightson, whose family had held the lordship of Cusworth since 1669. The architect was George Platt, and James Paine later altered the house and added the chapel and library between 1749 and 1753. The Wrightson heiress and her husband John Battie, who took the Wrightson name, brought in the landscape designer Richard Woods to remodel the park, which has three lakes and features such as the Rock Arch and the Cascade.

The estate stayed in the family until the middle of the twentieth century. After the contents were sold in 1952 to pay death duties, Doncaster Council bought the hall and parkland in 1961. The former stable block was turned into tearooms, and the reception rooms and galleries opened as a museum of South Yorkshire life on 30 September 1967.

A renovation costing 7.5 million pounds between 2002 and 2005 repaired the hall and restored the landscape. Today Heritage Doncaster runs the Grade I listed house as a social history museum. Its collections show everyday life in Doncaster from the eighteenth century to the present, and visitors can see the Great Kitchen on the lower ground floor and the restored painted ceilings of the Italianate chapel.

Highlights

• Great Kitchen on the lower ground floor
• Italianate chapel with restored painted ceilings
• Social history displays on life in Doncaster from the 18th century to today
• Landscaped park by Richard Woods with three lakes
• Children's play areas and walking trails in the park
• Butlers Tea Room and Bistro in the former stable block

Permanent exhibitions

• The Great Kitchen – The historic kitchen on the lower ground floor where feasts for the household were prepared.
• Italianate Chapel – A chapel whose ceiling paintings were uncovered and restored after being hidden under paint for decades.

Founded

1967

Operated by

Doncaster Council (Heritage Doncaster)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the museum and the park is free; car parking charges apply.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

As a listed historic building the hall has limited access. The lower ground floor with the Great Kitchen has a level entrance, and a lift serves the other floors, but for fire-safety reasons only visitors who can leave by the stairs and front steps unaided may visit the upper ground and first floors. Disabled parking is available in the main car park. Call the museum for more information.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

The park has children's play areas and a playing field, and walking trails can be collected from reception. The museum has interactive displays and holds family events, such as a free autumn trail running from 25 September to 16 November 2026. The playground is not supervised by park staff.

Getting there & parking

Cusworth Hall is about two miles north of Doncaster and signposted from the A1 and A638.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Butlers Tea Room and Bistro, in the former stable and coach house, serves meals, snacks and drinks. The Old Brewhouse is a microbrewery and bar on the site.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit