A Chatsworth Christmas

IMG_1939Can you imagine spending Christmas in a stately home?  Chatsworth House in Derbyshire would be the one for me.  With the house beautifully themed and decorated all through December, wouldn’t it be wonderful to close the gates on Christmas Eve and have it all to yourself, just for a little while?  With a select few friends, of course.

Ideally I suppose there should be a carpet of snow, so you could hop, skip and jump your footprints into the lawns.  Which fire to drink your mug of hot chocolate by afterwards could be a big decision.  Of 126 rooms, almost 100 are never seen by the public. Think of the game of Christmas hide and seek you could play!

You could hide behind a statue?
But not this well pruned hedge!
Lots of scope in the conservatories.
But maybe not these statues?

Come on!  Let’s go inside, shall we?  The house has been the family home of the Cavendish family since 1549.  A lady called Bess of Hardwick determined to settle in her native county, with her Suffolk born husband Sir William Cavendish, Treasurer of the King’s Chamber.  The riverside house was Bess’ project, carried on even after her husband died and she remarried.

Of course the house has changed greatly since it was first built, and, in the manner of all grand mansions, has a colourful history.  Mary Queen of Scots is known to have stayed here, whilst a prisoner.  In 1608, when Bess died, the house passed to her eldest son, but was purchased from him by his brother, William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire, for a measly £10,000.

Where to look first? Christmas trees or ceiling?

Where to look? Christmas trees or up at that ceiling?
I mean, seriously- who lives in a house like this?

I mean, seriously- who lives in a house like this?

It is extraordinary!

It is quite extraordinary!

And that applies to almost everywhere you look.

Bizarre yet wonderful sculpture
Exquisite wood carving
Beautiful candelabra and light fittings
Fabulous timepieces
And heart stopping modern works

Over time the house was added to and altered.  After World War II, the upkeep proved impossible.  Debt and death duties had accrued, and in 1946 a trust was established to administer the estate.  Today the house has a separate trust, and visitors pour through the gates, especially at Christmas.  The current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire are happy to be able to maintain and share their family home in this way.

How about this for a dining room?

How about this for a dining room?

The curtain headers are lovely!
The candelabra so stylish!
And I think I know that bright-haired lady!

Opulence doesn’t even begin to describe it.

I haven't even shown you the Painted Staircase yet.

And I haven’t even shown you the Painted Staircase yet.

The White Queen was here, but she's gone now.

The White Queen was here, but she’s gone now.

Just a small clue left behind.

Just a small clue left behind.

I expect you guessed, I came here to see “Narnia”.  And now I’m waiting for Boxing Day when “Death comes to Pemberley” will be screened on TV.  It was filmed in part at Chatsworth.  Based on the novel by P.D. James, it is a fictitious continuation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”.  Fittingly this year is the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s novel.  I find that quite amazing.

It may not be in a stately home, but wherever you spend it, I hope your Christmas is beautiful.

103 comments

  1. What an idea: to have a historic place like Chatsworth exclusively to enjoy with family and/or close friends for Christmas time! I wonder if it is possible….The sculpture of the veiled lady is exquisite. Do you know who created it?

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    1. If it is possible it’ll cost a lot more than I could ever pay! 🙂 I was absolutely entranced by that sculpture but I’m afraid I can’t recall the name. I’ll have a look on the website and see if I can find out.

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  2. In many stately homes they don’t allow you to take any photographs inside, how nice that you can in Chatsworth. I must try to remember and watch Death Comes to Pemberley, I should get a TV magazine for the festive period as I didn’t even know it was to be on until reading this post. Thanks for the heads up!

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    1. I don’t bother over much with the TV guides either, Lorna, but I was on the Chatsworth.org website checking facts when I spotted this. Most useful! I’m not especially into P.D. James but I’ll make an effort for this. 🙂

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  3. Thank you for these magical photos. I’ve never been inside Chatsworth although there is a family connection of sorts. My ancestors were tenant farmers on the Chatsworth estate, and my great grandmother (so family legend has it) as the 18 year-old daughter of the longest serving tenant opened the tenants’ ball with the Duke of Devonshire. (Probably around the 1880s). He is said to have commented that her family had been in Derbyshire for a good deal longer than his. Mary Ann also used to ride her pony over to Chatsworth to deliver the farm tithe of eggs. And while I’m here, here’s wishing you a very happy Christmas.

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    1. How exciting, Tish! I can almost claim you as a celebrity friend 🙂
      Seriously, I can’t imagine a lovelier place to have an association with. A very merry Christmas to you too!

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  5. Wow! It sure is a gorgeous place Jo! I love those ceilings. I would just lie on the floor all day long and look at those ceilings for sure. Great shots hon and thanks for the lovely tour. I truly enjoyed. 😀 *big hugs*

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    1. Thanks for all your lovely comments, Sonel. 🙂 Always happy to play tour guide. (did you see “Christmas in Narnia”? Same setting but with foxes, rabbits, and a lion, of course) Big hug to you, as always. 🙂

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      1. You’re very welcome hon and I love going on your lovely tours. 😀

        Haven’t seen it yet but I will for sure. Love the Narnia movies. 😀

        *big hugs* to you as well. xxx

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  6. Put me on the guest list and I want to play hide and seek in the rooms that aren’t open to the public. It would be fun to see how the other half lives or lived…depending on whether you had a title, were a guest or worked there. Loved the post…thanks!

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  9. All the way through I was like; “WOW”…and then there was the White Queen. By golly what a house. What do they mean…Death comes to Pemberley. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!

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  10. This place is absolutely incredible. I love how crazy ornate it is, though that’s so not my style, it is fabulous to look at. The Christmas trees are beautiful, too. Thanks for the share, Jo. It’s like eye candy. 😉

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    1. I can’t imagine living with it, really, Gem, and I wouldn’t dare dust a thing for fear of dropping it (great excuse 🙂 ) My daughter fits right in, though. She could have the big house- I’d be fine with a cottage in the grounds 🙂

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  14. Lovely place, Jo! I’d love to visit it together with you, you obviously had a great time and enjoyed yourself. 🙂
    It has its own trust, that’s interesting. Not many of those stately homes outside National Trust left nowadays.

    You write in one comment; you husband is a garden designer, how interesting! Do you have any posts or photos on your blog showing his work? I’d love to see them.
    When we visit those stately homes we’re foremost interested in the gardens as well.
    This year we went to Sissinghurst and spent two full days int the stunning gardens.

    Have you been to Fellbrigg Hall by Cromer? They have an interesting walled garden.

    Have a lovely Christmas, you and your family, Jo. I’m packing and getting ready for North Norfolk.
    Big hug
    Dina

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    1. The cost of maintaining these places must be phenomenal, Dina. This is very much a family enterprise. There are quite a lot of details on the Wikipedia link at the beginning of the post, if you’re interested. This is my 3rd post on Chatsworth- a Grand Day Out was purely the gardens.
      I don’t know the gardens of Norfolk at all. Maybe some day 🙂
      Mike’s website is http://www.mikebradleygd.com

      Have a lovely Christmas too. Very best wishes for the New Year. 🙂

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      1. Thank you very much for the Info and the link to Mark’s Website! I’ll show it to Klausbernd, he’ll be very interested. Mark looks so nice and his work seems very impressive! 🙂
        Lots of love
        Dina x

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  17. un grandioso reportage, con scenografiche prospettive, del resto con un ambiente così imponente non poteva essere diverso. Ottima la sceneggiatura degli alberi tutti con le lucette che riprendono i vari azzurri delle sale, davvero una magnifica passeggiata con te!
    a great reportage, with scenic views, moreover with an impressive environment could not be different. The screenplay of all trees with Christmas lights that reflect the various room blues, really a beautiful walk with you!

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    1. Good morning, Ventis 🙂 You will already have gone to work long ago but I am lazy this morning, sitting by my Christmas tree. Thank you for your lovely visit. Un bacio do Hartlepool 🙂

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      1. Haha! Have you heard anything from Cathy btw? I was as horrified as you obviously was to read her recent post. I didn’t like the way her thoughts were going. (You can delete this remark)

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    1. If you can’t be flamboyant in Chatsworth, Valentina, I don’t know where you can 🙂 To be fair the decorations were quite spaced around the rooms I saw and many rooms had just a light touch. Merry Christmas to you!

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