DESTINATION:
Derbyshire
Although covering a relatively small geographical area, the county of Derbyshire is home to a number of Britain’s finest stately homes. Across the county, from the Peaks in the west to the industrial lands of the east, wealthy landowners and merchants created houses of astonishing architectural richness. This eclectic mix ranges from the medieval charms of Haddon Hall to the Palladian grace of Chatsworth, defining the styles and tastes of the day and representing an important aspect of Britain’s cultural heritage. Based in the delightful spa town of Buxton, our short tour will help us discover some of the county’s architectural gems at a leisurely pace and against a backdrop of some delightful scenery.
Recommended duration – can be done on 3 nights/4 days but is a little more leisurely and more comprehensive on 4 nights/5 days.
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
- CHATSWORTH HOUSE – known as The Palace of the Peak and home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. One of the greatest of all stately homes, the many richly decorated and furnished rooms include five State Rooms that remain virtually unchanged since the 17th century. The vast gardens include formal water features, cascades and fountains.
- HADDON HALL – The Hall sits on a rocky outcrop above the River Wye, close to the market town of Bakewell and dates back to the time of William the Conqueror. The hall was deserted for over 200 years and thus escaped the major architectural changes of the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving us a medieval and Tudor manor house that has changed little since the reign of Henry VIII.
- HARDWICK HALL – a late 16th century ‘prodigy house’ designed by Robert Smythson for Bess of Hardwick. The house contains contemporary furniture, tapestries and needlework including pieces identified in an inventory of 1601.
- CALKE ABBEY – a baroque-style mansion with an interior which has remained unchanged since the 1880s. It is preserved by a programme of conservation as a graphic illustration of the English country house in decline.
- RENISHAW HALL – built in 1625 as a conventional Jacobean house, it was Gothicised at the turn of the 19th century. It was first built as a modest manor house by George Sitwell in 1625 but as his status within the ironwork industry grew, his accumulated wealth enabled him to build a new Hall which, over the years, has been extended by generations of the Sitwell family, who still live in the house today. Interior collections include Italian furniture, valuable Brussels tapestries, portraits and paintings by John Singer Sargent and John Piper, and other spectacular collections of art and furniture that have been acquired by generations of Sitwells. Renishaw Hall is also noted for its stunning Italianate gardens, laid out in 1895 by Sir George Sitwell (1860-1943), great-grandfather of Alexandra Sitwell, the current owner.
ALTERNATIVE VISITS
- ST OSWALD’S CHURCH at Ashbourne – built on the site of a Saxon and later a Norman church, the present day St Oswald’s was built around 1340 and is home to an extraordinary collection of stained glass, medieval tombs and alabaster monuments.
- QUARRY BANK MILL AND STYAL ESTATE (Wilmslow) – this National Trust property is one of Britain’s greatest industrial heritage sites and comprises a powerful working waterwheel as well as the Styal Village which was built to house the mill workers.
- BURGHLEY HOUSE (Stamford) – built as a country seat during the latter part of the 16th century by Sir William Cecil. A veritable ‘treasure house’, it contains one of the largest private collections of Italian art, unique examples of Chinese and Japanese porcelain and superb items of 18th century furniture.
- BOUGHTON HOUSE (Kettering) – reminiscent of a magnificent French Château the front of the house belies the Tudor manor behind, which is set around a series of courtyards. The house offers a series of interesting staterooms and has a wonderful collection of furniture, tapestries, 16th century carpets and notable works of art.
- WORLD OF WEDGWOOD (Barlaston near Stoke-on-Trent) – giving an insight into the life of Josiah Wedgwood I, grandfather of Charles Darwin, founder of the company, and ‘Father of English Potters’. Wedgwood china was known for its unique glazes and was popular amongst the nobility of his day.
- KEDLESTON HALL (Derby) – this classical mansion which is today administered by the National Trust, was built in 1759-65 for the Curzon family. Robert Adam designed the interior and his hand is evident in virtually every detail of decoration in the staterooms.
- BIDDULPH GRANGE GARDEN (National Trust) – located near Stoke on Trent, this is a wonderful Victorian garden which was created by James Bateman to house his collection of plants from around the world.
- ARCHITECTURAL WALK OF MANCHESTER – for 19th century grandeur Manchester is hard to beat. There are classical halls and clubs, gothic towers and spires, and baroque banks – many inspired from grand European creations which hopeful architects had sketched on their Grand Tour and then reproduced across the city. As a result, Manchester has few original buildings, just excellent copies.
- JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY (MANCHESTER) – arguably the best example of neo-Gothic architecture in Europe and indisputably one of the finest libraries in the world. It was founded in 1889 by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband John Rylands. Architect Basil Champneys was commissioned to design the building which took ten years to build and cost around £500,000. It was opened to public readers on 1st January 1900.