In the medieval period the Wortley family formed a hunting chase around Wharncliffe woods and at this time the manor house was within the chase. A later hall was built in the 15th or early 16th century on the site of the present hall. During the 2nd World War parts of the Hall were occupied by the army and after 1945 the Hall fell into disrepair. In 1950 a local Labour Movement activist Vin Williams suggested the Hall be owned and run for by the workers. On 5th May 1951 Wortley Hall opened as an educational and holiday centre. It was semi-derelict and most of the repairs and restoration were voluntarily made by local workers (Wortley Hall 2001 [accessed 12/05/08]). In 1589 a deer park was constructed around the hall. It stretched further toward Pilley on its construction. In 1649 the deer were removed from the park and it was probably then that more of the land became enclosed farmland. (Hey 1975). The deer park survives best to the north east of Wortley Hall were the land has been reused as a golf course. The general character of the park survives elsewhere in the ornamental ponds and wooded areas. Several of these woods have been planted since 1796. Other post-medieval uses of the landscape include coal pits, sandstone quarries and a possible brick kiln (name of a plantation). The south eastern half of the polygon is made up of agricultural fields but the woodland remains. Part of this is an area of ancient woodland which probably pre dates the construction of the deer park. The woodland is shown along the river on mid 18th century maps. The woodland has now expanded across a lot of the park landscape. The landscape before the construction of the deer park is unknown but may have been made up of assarted fields from the small scattered farmsteads in the area. It is also possible that the park overlies the former townfields associated with the village of Wortley. There is no legibility of this.