“… and this is Henry VIII’s rosary; must have been from before he fell for Anne Boleyn …” And there, laid out in a cabinet was this huge rosary that belonged to England’s most notorious King, who changed the religious and political focus of this country for the sake of a beautiful woman. This is just one of the many treasures and quirky curiosities that Chatsworth House, home to the Devonshire family for over 450 years, has to share with its visitors.
Henry VIII's rosary, Chatsworth House
This enormous but very welcoming estate snuggles in a bowl of greenery in the heart of the Peak District in Derbyshire. Home to the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire, the Cavendish family have lived here for over 450 years and made many changes to the house & gardens. I was here for a visit sponsored by Visit England: Chatsworth has just won their Best Major Tourist Attraction. It’s an intriguing combination of sumptuous luxury, fascinating curiosities and horticultural delights.
Photo courtesy of Chatsworth House
This gracious Palladian mansion is being given a face-lift and at present is covered in a huge white bandage whilst a highly-skilled crew of stonemasons and others bring her back to her 18th century glory. Making the most of this, Scaffolding Tours are offered to get a view from on high which is quite breathtaking. Not having the best head for heights, I did feel a bit scared as I followed guide Kay to the top, but soon overcame incipient vertigo as I took in the great views, especially overlooking the Cascade, Canal and Emperor Fountain. (This is where Mr. Knightley, aka Colin Firth, emerged dripping wet to delight countless fans, in ‘Pride & Prejudice’.) Kay explained that there’s over 320 tons of scaffolding and the work will take over a year to complete. All the pain and discomfort will be well-worth it when the rejuvenated face of this grand old lady is revealed once more…
Duchess of Devonshire
I was fascinated to see a large collection of semi-precious stones and minerals collected by Georgiana, 5th Duchess of Devonshire, more famous for her gambling exploits and tangled love life, as portrayed by Keira Knightley in ‘The Duchess’.
A huge foot lay on the floor – a broken remnant of an enormous statue from ancient times. Contemporary artists such a Lucien Freud, Ai Weiwei and Elisabeth Frink are juxtaposed with famous old masters like Rembrandt, Reynolds and Canova. There is a feeling of vibrancy and modernity at Chatsworth that is sadly lacking in some historic houses today.
The State Rooms are as awe-inspiring as you would imagine them to be; the somewhat ego-driven 1st Duke had them made for a visit from King William of Orange and Queen Mary who sadly did not grace these exorbitantly expensive apartments with their majestic presence. Pride of place goes to the ‘Buffet’ – an elaborate pyramid of silver-gilt and porcelain dishes festooned with intricately carved wreaths and swags of flowers and fruit.
Chatsworth Buffet
The grounds are famous for good reason and were an education in horticultural brilliance. Though a lot of the formal gardens have now gone, Capability Brown’s parkland and Joseph Paxton’s designs are very much in evidence. The Cascade is an marvel of beauty and skilful engineering and there are lovely sculptures all round the grounds. I’ll definitely be back for another look round this charming and quirky place.
Zoe Dawes is the Quirky Traveller Editor for Wandering Educators.
For more Quirky Traveller's Tales and information on Tours & Walks in the Lake District and beyond www.thequirkytraveller.com