Derbyshire Historic Houses

Calke Abbey 

This baroque mansion, built 1701-4 and set in a stunning landscape park, has become famous as a graphic illustration of the English country house in decline. Little restored, the house contains the spectacular natural history collection of the Harpur Crewe family, as well as a magnificent 18th-century state bed and interiors that are essentially unchanged since the 1880s. The open parkland is managed for its nature conservation value and the attractive grounds feature a beautiful walled garden with Auricula Theatre and an interesting collection of garden buildings

Ticknall, Derby, DE73 1LE Tel  01332 863822  Email

Chatsworth

The home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, is one of the treasure houses of England, set in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District. More than 30 rooms are open to visitors, displaying one of Europe’s finest private art collections ranging from paintings by Rembrandt to contemporary work by Elisabeth Frink and Lucian Freud and the fan from a Rolls Royce jet engine. The celebrated 105 acre Garden contains fountains, the cascade and a maze. The Farmyard and Adventure Playground delight children of all ages.

Bakewell  DE45 1PP Tel: 01246 565

Eyam Hall

1671 manor house in the "Plague Village" of Eyam. A guided tour includes fine historical anecdotes, Working craft centre on site.

Main Road, Eyam, Hope Valley S32 5QW  Tel 01433 631976   Email

Haddon Hall

If one was to take oneself back to 1170, one would see very little of the present-day Haddon Hall, other than parts of the Eagle Tower and chapel. A building originally stood on the land it now occupies as far back as 1087, but it was not until 1370 that Richard de Vernon embarked on a project of major construction.

Bakewell, DE45 1LA  Tel:01629 812855  Email

Hardwick Hall 

One of Britain’s finest Elizabethan houses built for Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Shrewsbury, who moved in to her latest creation in October 1597. The house itself stands next to the ruins of Hardwick Old Hall in a commanding position overlooking the surrounding countryside.

It contains a remarkable collection of 16th Century furniture and paintings and the visited part of the hall is fully furnished and the large collection of huge tapestries and needlework that cover many of the walls of the rooms and staircases. Many of the tapestries are original to the hall and were probably chosen by Bess herself. The house stands within a country park containing rare breeds of cattle and sheep and the walled and enclosed gardens around the house include a herb garden, orchard and decorative gardens.

 Doe Lea, Nr Chesterfield  S44 5QJ   Tel: 01246 850430  Email

Keddlestone Hall & Park 

Built between 1759 and 1765 for the Curzon family, who have lived in the area since the 12th century. The house boasts the most complete and least-altered sequence of Robert Adam interiors in England, with the magnificent state rooms retaining their great collections of paintings and original furniture. The Eastern Museum houses a remarkable range of objects collected by Lord Curzon when Viceroy of India (1899-1905). The gardens have been restored in part to an 18th-century ‘pleasure ground’ and the surrounding park, also designed by Adam, includes a fine bridge, fishing pavilion and series of lakes and cascades.

Derby  DE22 5JH   Tel: 01332 842191 Email

Melbourne Hall

Originally a rectory for the Norman Parish Church, it became the home of Sir John Coke in 1628 and has been inherited by subsequent members of the family to the present day and is now home to Lord and Lady Ralph Kerr and their young family.

Church Square, Melbourne, DE73 1EN  Tel: 01332 862502

Revolution House

Chesterfield, was the place where the Earl of Devonshire, the Earl of Danby and a local nobleman John D’Arcy, met and planned to overthrow the Catholic King James II. Formerly the Cock and Pynot Inn and now a museum, Revolution House in Whittington.

High Street, Old Whittington, Chesterfield,  S41 9LA  01246 453554

Sudbury Hall 

a late 17th century brick-built house with fine interior decoration.  It is one of the most individual houses of the period.  In the 19th century a service wing was added and this now houses the National Trust Museum of Childhood

Sudbury, Ashbournes   DE6 5HT  Tel: 01283 585337   Email

Sutton Scarsdale Hall 

This 18-century remodelling of an earlier house is now in ruins but visitors can see the fragments of its former rich plaster decoration. Furniture, fittings and roof lead were all sold off after World War I and panelled rooms from the hall are housed in museums in Philadelphia and

Los Angeles.Sutton Scarsdale, Chesterfield,  Tel: 01246 822844

Wingfield Manor 

Built by Ralph Lord Cromwell in 1439, the ruins of Wingfield Manor stand high on a hill above the village of South Wingfield. Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned at Wingfield Manor on three occasions and it was here that the romanticised plot to free Mary and overthrow Elizabeth I was hatched with Anthony Babington as one of the main conspirators.

Garner Lane South, Wingfield, Alfreton  DE5 7NH  Tel:  01773 832060