Chatsworth House, situated in the stunning and conveniently close Peak District, was built in 1687 and has been a historic site of awe ever since. Its home and gardens have appeared in an array of films including Pride and Prejudice and The Duchess. The house itself is in a perimeter of land consisting of 1,822 acres and is currently still the main residence of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family.
We pulled up to the house just before lunchtime, meandering down the seemingly never-ending drive whilst watching the emerging views of the Emperor Fountain on our left. The house is a wondrous piece of architecture, with the baroque walls standing out against the vast greenery of the surrounding land. As well as admiring the building, it’s worth noting that the trees, mazes, and sculptures are all symmetrical in the gardens, making them worth the visit on their own, having been redesigned in the last 60 years.
Admissions prices for the House and Gardens are set at £22 per adult and because we booked online it meant we were able to skip the queues and head straight to the entrance gallery. We were then given individual tour phones, making it easy to learn and appreciate Chatsworth’s history whilst taking our time. The tour phones are free and come with a range of different languages to choose from. The tour itself is a long walk through over 30 rooms, allowing you to see and experience the historical features as well as learning about the people who lived there before.
The cafes in Chatsworth are worth visiting, a personal recommendation being Carriage House Café which is the main restaurant area in the estate, however, there are also several other cafes to choose from. There was a wide selection of sandwiches, soup and hot food, along with a good variety of drinks. I would suggest getting scones with jam and cream as this was very enjoyable!
I think everyone should experience Chatsworth at least once in their lives, simply because of its natural and historical beauty that outshines most other stately homes. It is also a very intimate experience with the estate, as you get to be up close to things that have been there for many years.
Events:
Chatsworth House is hosting a range of different events for Christmas between 9 November 2019 and 5 January 2020. These include a Christmas market, wreath making and a Christmas Nativity.
Transport links:
If you are looking at going to Chatsworth House and aren’t sure how to get there, the 218 bus runs between Sheffield and Bakewell, stopping at Chatsworth daily. You can also access it by train, heading to Chesterfield and then getting on a bus from the station to Baslow, a 25-minute public footpath walk from the estate.
Information about Chatsworth House and the events that take place there can be found on their website at https://www.chatsworth.org/