Photo: Chatsworth House by Rprof, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
The Cavendish family has owned Chatsworth House since 1549, and it remains the seat of the Duke of Devonshire.
The house stands beside the River Derwent in the Peak District, Derbyshire, and holds art and artefacts spanning 4,000 years across more than 25 rooms, including the Painted Hall and the Sculpture Gallery.
Chatsworth House Trust, a registered charity established in 1981, cares for the house and its 105-acre garden.
The garden represents nearly 500 years of cultivation, from formal parterres to a working arboretum.
Read more on WikipediaHistory
Bess of Hardwick and her husband Sir William Cavendish began building the first house at Chatsworth in the 1550s. Mary, Queen of Scots was held there under guard on several occasions during the 1570s while in the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury, Bess's fourth husband. The 1st Duke of Devonshire rebuilt the house almost entirely in the Baroque style between 1687 and 1707. The house received further additions in the nineteenth century. Seventeen generations of the Devonshire family have shaped the house and estate since the sixteenth century.
Architecture
The main structure dates from the 1st Duke's Baroque rebuilding of 1687 to 1707. The house underwent architectural development in the nineteenth century.
Worth knowing
The house has appeared in film and television, and has been closely associated with important figures in English history and culture.
Gardens & grounds
The 105-acre garden has developed over nearly 500 years and includes an arboretum, a rock garden, and historic waterworks.
Facilities
Plan your visit
Nearest station: Rowsley South (Peak Rail) (3.7 miles)
Open year round; check official website for seasonal variations and special event closures.
Nearby properties
Hob Hurst's House
View Hob Hurst's House on heritage mapNine Ladies
View Nine Ladies on heritage mapEyam Hall
View Eyam Hall on heritage mapWinster Market House
View Winster Market House on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Chatsworth House (DE45) there are 4 historic properties, including 2 historic buildings and 2 historic houses, across English Heritage and Historic Houses sites.
Within 10 miles of Chatsworth House (DE45) there are 8 historic properties, including 3 historic buildings, 3 historic houses and 2 archaeological sites, across English Heritage, Historic Houses and National Trust sites.
Within 20 miles of Chatsworth House (DE45) there are 30 historic properties, including 15 historic buildings, 5 historic houses and 3 churchs, across National Trust, English Heritage and Historic Houses sites.
Facts
The same family has shaped this house and its garden for over 470 years, seventeen generations deep.
- Type
- house
- Location
- Derbyshire, England
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