A fine example of a Grand Historical country house. (Chatsworth House)

Member Name: garymarsh6

Product:	Chatsworth House
Date:	07/09/09 (214 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fine art, lovely homely house and beautiful landscaped gardens.

Disadvantages: None I could think of.

Chatsworth house.



Chatsworth house is situated in the Peak District in Derbyshire in beautiful countryside. It is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire. It stands on the banks of the Derwent River surrounded by 11 miles of parkland. The gardens alone cover 12 acres.

Building of the house began in the 1500's after the land passed from various owners finally being purchased in 1549 by Sir William Cavendish, treasurer to the King. His wife was Elizabeth Hardwick the second richest woman in England after Queen Elizabeth I. Bess persuaded him to buy the land and she was instrumental in the construction of the house. The house is built in a quadrangle so that there is an inner courtyard which was the in thing of the day.

Bess Hardwick went through four husbands and the fourth one being George Talbert the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury who was instrumental in the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots. Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned several times in Chatsworth house on the top floor apartment of the house which are now known as the Queen Mary Rooms over the great Hall. Bess acted as a confident to Mary Queen of Scots and often accompanied her on garden walks in Chatsworth. They spent many hours embroidering tapestries together and some are still preserved at Chatsworth House being over 400 years old. Bess mixed with the highest circles of nobles in the land including Queen Elizabeth the 1st. She was quite renowned for her supervision and overseeing of building massive properties.


Bess died in 1608 leaving her estate to her second son William Cavendish who was created the 1st Earl of Devonshire ten years later. The fourth Earl became the first Duke of Devonshire in 1694 and the Dukedom continues in the Cavendish family right up to the present day with the current Duke of Devonshire being Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish being the 12th Duke.


William Cavendish began to rebuild Chatsworth in 1687 but maintained the Tudor courtyard despite it going out of fashion and finished the re construction in 1697. The house has changed little since.

One other quite famous people to live here was Georgiana Spencer who married the fifth Duke of Devonshire who also installed his mistress in the house. Georgiana rekindled her relationship with her first love but was forbidden to continue her relationship. The film the Duchess has recently been made which tells the about the life of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire. She was a remarkable woman who moved in the highest echelons of society. On her death she gave her blessing to the marriage of her husband the 5th Duke of Devonshire to his long term mistress.

The present day.


The house.

The house is still inhabited by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and is open to the public throughout the year. At various times of the year certain parts of the house are closed to the public for house cleaning and restoration. There is currently an on going programme of repairs to the outside of the house which is known as the master plan which will make it more accessible for people with disabilities and to update and replace some of the water and electrical supplies to the house. The house is so delicate that the scaffolding on the outside of the house is free standing so that it does not come into contact with the house itself.

A tour to the house will take you through large state rooms starting from the grand staircase after which you ascend to the first floor. There is currently an exhibition of some of the clothes that Georgiana and others wore during the film The Duchess displayed in the house. The rooms are very richly decorated and ornate with priceless works of art, statues, fine porcelains and silverware tapestries some of which were made by Bess Hardwick and Mary Queen of Scots during her imprisonment at Chatsworth before she was beheaded. The house is very much a family home and one can get the feeling that it is very well cared for and loved by the family so that it can be shared with others. The house has been used at various times during the shooting of films.

The inside of the house is very dark because to open the sun blind curtains it would cause irreparable damage to the art work and murals on the ceilings and walls. The rooms are quite colourful, exquisitely laid out and not drab or miserable at all. The standard of furniture and fittings is of the highest quality. Each Duke has left his stamp on the house and it has acquired art from famous artists such as Rembrandt, Vandyke and Gainsborough. It takes approximately 2 hours to walk around the house and the state rooms which after completion of the master plan should be available to all to enjoy.
There are some fantastic views from the house leading down to the Derwent River. There is an ornate bridge crossing the river which is still in use today.

The chapel is absolutely beautiful and the altar is carved out of marble and alabaster. IT was built in the 1700's. It is still in use today and the new additions to the Devonshire dynasty are christened here. The walls are covered in delightful murals and also on the ceiling. At the rear of the chapel there is a gallery for the Duke and Duchess to sit.

The music room contains various musical instruments and a grand harpsichord and the thrones of George the 3rd and Queen Charlotte. There is a very large painting of the second duke of Devonshire and murals on the upper wall and ceiling. It is a light and bright room and would be very convivial for those sitting listening to any music being performed.

The landscaped Gardens.


The gardens cover an area of over 105 acres and are beautiful on the eye which has taken shape over the last 400 years. Famous gardeners employed at Chatsworth include Lancelot Capability Brown and Joseph Paxton. Around the house are formal gardens and parterres, waterfalls and a long lake with the very big water fountain known as the Emperor fountain which can be seen from widely around the estate spurting up high into the sky over the trees. There are approximately five miles of pathways through the garden.


At the rear of the house there is a cascade dating from the time of the 1st Duke of Devonshire in the 1800's. The water features are very unique because they are fed by water from a reservoir at the top of the hill and are entirely supplied and displayed by gravity alone. At the top of the cascade there is a small temple and the water in the cascade is circulated twice before entering the Derwent River. The water comes out of two Griffin like animals, and two fountains. There are 24 steps down which the water cascades. Sometimes when the water supply is abundant it also comes out of the mouths of two dolphins in the walls of the temple. Likewise the Emperor fountain is gravity fed.

Dotted around the grounds are neo classical statues and also modern pieces of art. It all looks very tasteful. There is a massive rockery area designed by Paxton and it is well developed with mature plants. Just before you reach the rockery there is a weeping willow with water shooting out of the branches. The rockery leads via a pathway to a small pond that is full of fish and decorative silver balls which move around with the wind gently clunking into one another.

To the right of the pond there is the Maze which was planted and surrounded by a rose garden. It is quite difficult to find the heart of the maze and at times you think you are so near and yet you end up in a dead end, We did eventually find the heart of the maze.

If you continue walking past the maze and up the hill through woodland you come across another lake and grotto. There are look out areas dotted around the gardens which gives spectacular views over the gardens, house, river and parkland.
There are green houses, herb & vegetable gardens.

There are extensive parklands of approximately 1000 acres with grazing sheep and dear offering wonderful vistas over the undulating and rolling hills of Derbyshire.


Practical information.

By road.

Chatsworth house is very well signposted around the Chesterfield and Matlock areas and quite easy to find. If you are using GPS then the Post code is DE45 1PP.

By train, Alight at the Chesterfield station you can catch a bus out from the town centre out to Chatsworth which takes approximately half an hour.


Price of admission:

TO see everything Chatsworth has to offer the price is :

Adult: £16 or online save 20% £14.40
Children £10 or £9 on line
Concessions for Senior Citizens
/Students £12.50 and £11.25 if booked on line.

The winter season for this year add £1.50 per ticket.


The house and gardens only:

Adults £11.50 or £10.35 if booked on line.
Concessions : £9.50 or
Children £6.25 or £5.64 on line.

The gardens only

Adults £7.50 or £6.75
Concessions £6 or £5.40
Children £4.50 or £4.05

Other facilities at Chatsworth.
Childrnes play area.
Cafeteria
Restaurants.
Farm Shop.
Souvenir shop.

Parking is £2 for the day.


Hours of opening.

Gardens 10:30 - 6PM
House 11:00 to 5:30PM
Farmyard 10:30 - 5:30PM
Shops 10:30 -5:30PM


Events.

There are various events held throughout the year at Chatsworth including flower festivals, music festivals, fine dining events, behind the scene tours, The Chatsworth Country fair.
Bonfire and firework display. Horse trails.


You can check out what is happening at the Chatsworth own web site at:-

http://www.chatsworth.org/

It is one of England's most beautiful and historical houses well worth a visit for both young and old. I think that small children would find the house a little boring but the gardens are all open and they would enjoy that. I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Chatsworth house for both young and old.

Summary: A beautiful country house a legacy for all to enjoy,