A Desirable Residence
A glimpse into the history of some of Derbyshire's most celebrated country houses
Postcard of Haddon Hall, Derbyshire (1910) by UnknownDerbyshire Record Office
Haddon Hall
Described as "the most complete and interesting house of its period", Haddon Hall sits on the banks of the River Wye, a few miles from the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire's Peak District. The origins of the medieval manor house date from the 12th century.
According to legend, in 1563 Dorothy Vernon, daughter of Sir George Vernon and heiress of Haddon Hall, against her father's wishes eloped and married John Manners, the second son of the Earl of Rutland. She is said to have run away via these steps. In 1924 her story was made into a film 'Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall' starring celebrated American silent film actress Mary Pickford.
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Inner courtyard of Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall has been the location for many film productions including Mary Queen of Scots (2019), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Pride & Prejudice (2005), no less than three film versions of Jane Austen’s Jane Eyre and cult movie The Princess Bride (1987).
Eyam Hall - a very generous wedding present
Thomas Wright built the Hall which was intended as a wedding present for his son John and his wife Elizabeth on their marriage in 1671. Eyam Hall remains in the ownership of the Wright family to this day.
The village of Eyam is famous for the actions of its vicar, William Mompesson, in quarantining the inhabitants during the bubonic plague of 1665-1666. 260 people died out of a village population of 800. Eyam Hall was built 6 years after the outbreak.
Postcard of the entrance to Bolsover Castle (1900) by UnknownDerbyshire Record Office
Bolsover Castle
This "fantasy hilltop pleasure palace", built in the early 17th century, lies on the ruins of the 12th-century medieval castle overlooking the town. Looked after by English Heritage, in 2017 it was voted the most haunted site by their staff.
Account of goods sold at Bolsover Castle (1732-08-10) by Turbutt family of OgstonDerbyshire Record Office
Originally built by William Peveril, a former knight of William the Conqueror, the later castle was built by the Cavendish family more for pleasure than defence, being used as a fashionable retreat for the aristocracy.
A sale at Bolsover Castle in 1732 included such items as old quilts and curtains, a brush and a looking glass.
The jewel in the crown of the Peak District
Chatsworth House, perhaps Derbyshire's best known historic house, is a Grade I listed house and stables, a 105-acre garden, and 1,822-acre park. It has been home to sixteen generations of the Devonshire family for nearly five centuries.
The house has been used as a location for many films including Pride and Prejudice (2005) and The Duchess (1998). 1932 saw a Broadway star marry into the Cavendish family when Adele Astaire, dancer, stage actress and singer, and older sister of Fred Astaire, married Lord Charles Cavendish, second son to the 9th Duke of Devonshire, at the family's private chapel at Chatsworth.
Coloured postcard of Calke Abbey from south west (1910) by E. Martin of MelbourneDerbyshire Record Office
Calke Abbey - the English country house in decline
In the Harpur family since 1622, this Baroque-style mansion in the south of the county is now presented to visitors as an example of the decline of the country house estate. Many rooms remain as they were in the 1880s, with little restoration work having been undertaken.
Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe, 10th baronet, inherited the Calke estate in 1886. Shying away from public life he spent time amassing his natural history collections of stuffed birds, eggs and Lepidoptera. His only son Richard Fynderne Harpur Crewe was a keen motorist, pilot and photographer. Richard pre-deceased his father in 1921 at the age of 40. In 1985 the house was acquired by the National Trust and the decision was made to keep the house in the condition it was found, showing its decline.
