Excellent British Houses – Everything You Need to Know about Chatsworth House in Derbyshire
The are many grand and remarkable houses in England that have been a part of British history for years. They are a must-see in any tourist itinerary or for those who wish to get away from the normal bustle of their daily life. Located along the eastern bank of the Sea Derwent, in Derbyshire, is a beautiful estate known as Chatsworth House.
Key Facts about Chatsworth House
- It is the current seat for the Duke of Devonshire.
- Approximately located Five.6 km north-east of Bakewell and fourteen miles west of Chesterfield.
- The house, which is backed by wooded hills, faces the land that divides the Wye and Derwent valleys.
- Long standing structure of history, including the home to Mary, Queen of Scots.
A Brief Chatsworth House History
The origin of Chatsworth House is dated back to the Elizabethan era, and commences with a woman named Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury. She is well known as Bess of Hardwick. As a native of Derbyshire, Bess was raised by a modest family. But she later became one of the 2nd most powerful women, next to Queen Elizabeth I. She was married a total of four times, and it was after her marriage to her 2nd hubby, Tormentor William Cavendish, that the Cavendish history at Chatsworth House became what it is today.
Master William Cavendish originated in Suffolk, and became a powerful ally to King Henry VIII during the sixteen th century when he helped dissolve the monasteries. It was after his marriage to Bess, that he agreed to stir to her home county, despite the remote location and the visible flooding issues. They purchased the Chatsworth land in one thousand five hundred forty nine for a mere £600. However, it was not until one thousand five hundred fifty two that they began to build the very first house.
After the death of Master William Cavendish in 1557, Bess married two more boys across the course of ten years. Her last hubby, George Talbot, the six th Earl of Shrewsbury, was the primary appointed custodian of Mary, Queen of Scots. From one thousand five hundred sixty nine to 1584, Mary was held as a prisoner at Chatsworth innumerable times. Her lodgings were not too shabby, tho’. She had her own rooms on the east-side of the estate which are still referred to as the Queen of Scots Apartments.
Bess is also known for Hardwick Hall, which is a surviving house that contains tapestries, furniture, and embroideries from the sixteen th and seventeen th centuries. It was in the possession of the Cavendish Family until 1957, when it was donated to the government to pay for death duties. It is now a National Trust property (we have an article about this house coming up in a few weeks).
1st Earl of Devonshire
During her marriage to Tormentor William Cavendish, Bess produced two sons, one of which became the very first Earl of Devonshire. He was also named Tormentor William Cavendish, and later became the heir to the Cavendish fortune. When Bess died in 1608, the Earl inherited four valuable houses which included Hardwick Hall, Chatsworth House, as well as Oldcotes and Worksop in Nottinghamshire. The Cavendish name was carried on with William's marriage to Anne Keighley, who produced three sons and three daughters.
The Cavendish name continued on for centuries, with many heirs carrying on the name of Master William Cavendish. The six th Duke of Devonshire, William Spencer Cavendish, is still remembered as the “Bachelor” Duke. He was never married, but possessed a charming personality with many years spent entertaining friends and improving his inherited houses. William was responsible for the completion of the North Wing at Chatsworth, which was designed by architect Master Jeffry Wyatville.
He also hired the specialties of a youthfull gardener named Joseph Paxton to help evolve the gardens at Chatsworth into the beautiful masterpiece that exists today. William Spencer Cavendish died in one thousand eight hundred fifty eight at the age of 67. Since he had no direct descendants, the title of Duke was passed to his cousin, William Cavendish, the two nd Earl of Burlington.
Most of the UK's country houses were put to institutional use during World War II. Some of those used as barracks were badly bruised, but the 10th Duke, anticipating that schoolgirls would make better tenants than soldiers, arranged for Chatsworth to be occupied by Penrhos College, a chicks' public school in Colwyn Bay, Wales. The contents of the house were packed away in eleven days and, in September 1939, three hundred women and their teachers moved in for a six-year stay. The entire of the house was used, including the state rooms, which were turned into dormitories. Condensation from the breath of the sleeping ladies caused fungus to grow behind some of the pictures. The house was not very comfy for so many people, with a shortage of hot water, but there were compensations, such as skating on the Cavern Pond. The damsels grew vegetables in the garden as a contribution to the war effort.
The modern history of Chatsworth embarks in 1950. The family had not yet moved back after the war and, albeit the 10th Duke had transferred his assets to his son during his lifetime in the hope of avoiding death duties, he died a few weeks too early for the lifetime exemption to apply, and tax was charged at 80% on the entire estate. The amount due was £7 million (£203 million as of 2014),[Five]. Some of the family's advisors considered the situation to be irretrievable, and there was a proposal to transfer Chatsworth to the nation as a V&A of the North; instead, the Duke determined to retain his family's home if he could. He sold ems of thousands of acres of land, transferred Hardwick Hall to the National Trust in lieu of tax, and sold some major works of art from Chatsworth.
The 10th Duke was pessimistic about the future of houses like Chatsworth, and made no plans to budge back in after the war. After Penrhos College left in one thousand nine hundred forty five the only people who slept in the house were two housemaids, but over the winter of 1948–49 the house was cleaned and tidied for reopening to the public. In the mid-1950s, the 11th Duke and Duchess began to think about moving into the house. The pre-war house had relied entirely on a large staff for its comforts, and lacked modern facilities. The building was rewired, the plumbing and heating were overhauled, and six self-contained staff flats were created to substitute the puny staff bedrooms and communal servants' hall. Including those in the staff flats, seventeen bathrooms were added to the existing handful. The 6th Duke's cavernous kitchen was abandoned and a fresh one was created closer to the family dining room. The family rooms were repainted, carpets were brought out of store, and curtains were repaired or substituted. The Duke and Duchess and their three children moved across the park from Edensor House in 1959.
In one thousand nine hundred eighty one the family trustees created a separate charitable trust called ‘The Chatsworth House Trust', to preserve the house and its setting. This trust was granted a 99-year lease by the Trustees of the Chatsworth Settlement of the house, its essential contents, the garden, park and some forest, a total of 1,822 acres (7.37 km2). The Chatsworth House Trust pays an annual rent of £1. The family sold some works of art, mainly old master drawings that could not be put on regular display, to raise a multimillion pound endowment fund. The family is represented on the trust council, but there is a majority of non-family members. The family pays a market rent for the use of its private apartments in the house. The cost of running the house and grounds is around £4 million a year.
The current occupant of Chatsworth House is Peregrine Cavendish, the twelve th Duke of Devonshire, and his wifey Amanda, the Duchess of Cavendish. They have three children, William, the Earl of Burlington, Lady Celina, and Lady Jasmine. The Duke and Duchess have ten grandchildren. There are many works of art displayed around the gardens and in the house for visitors to appreciate. This is a collective passion inbetween the Duke and Duchess and their son Lord Burlington.
Famous Cascade Waterfall
A master plan to begin improvements on the house was formulated in 2008. This was organized after innumerable research studies and analysis proved specific services that could be utilized to help bring the Chatsworth House up to modern standards. This includes improvements made to the route that visitors utilize and extensive preservation of the exterior stone.
Chatsworth has been selected as the United Kingdom's favourite country house several times and resumes to be one of its most popular tourist attractions.
What Makes This House So Famous
Many popular names have come through the Chatsworth House. In 1944, the sister of John F. Kennedy, Kathleen Kennedy, was married to William Cavendish, the eldest son of the ten th Duke of Devonshire. However, this was a tragic and short-lived marriage due to the fact that William was killed in act not long after their marriage. Kathleen died in one thousand nine hundred forty eight in a plane crash. William's junior brother, Andrew Cavendish, took the title as the eleven th Duke, and later married Deborah Mitford.
TV & Film
The Chatsworth House has been the location for numerous film and TV locations. The very first was the one thousand nine hundred seventy five adaptation of the novel ‘The Luck of Barry Lyndon' by William Thackeray. It was also the location for the two thousand five version of Pride and Prejudice, and the two thousand thirteen television version of Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James, which is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice. The actual house is mentioned in the P.D. James novel as one of the locations that Elizabeth Bennett visits before her arrival at Pemberley. Other films that utilized the Chatsworth House for location was The Duchess in 2008, and The Wolfman in 2010. It is believed that Jane Austen chose the Chatsworth House when she was writing Pride and Prejudice based on her description of Pemberley.
Further Research
If you want a true cultural practice, then a visit to Chatsworth during the annual County Fair is a must. During this event, you can sample local produce, purchase hand-made crafts by local vendors, and love a weekend of family-oriented activities and spectacles. The County Fair is considered to be one of England's most sought-after outdoor festivals. Every year, it is held in the park at Chatsworth, which attracts a major crowd from all over the country. Other events that occur at the County Fair include hot air balloon rails, a parade of vintage cars, parachuting, and military band spectacles.
Visiting Information
Chatsworth House is open every day from sixteen March through to the twenty three December. During their Christmas season, visits vary for the season inbetween eight November and twenty three December. The opening times for all of the different features of Chatsworth House vary depending on the category, such as restaurants and shopping ventures. Before planning your visit, it is best to inquire on the official website which is www.chatsworth.org. There are also options for purchasing visitor tickets via their website.
Related YouTube Movies:
Royal Upstairs Downstairs – Chatsworth (30 Minutes)
Pride & Prejudice Behind the Scenes – Chatsworth House (2005) (Trio Minutes)