Chatsworth House Gardens
The Gardens at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire
Chatsworth in Derbyshire is one of England's favourite stately homes. A single visit usually takes in both the house and gardens.
However, many people return to Chatsworth to enjoy just the gardens themselves, especially in summer during the school holidays.
The vast lawns and fountains make for an excellent outdoor play area for kids and are also great for a picnic on a fine day. Visitors can purchase admission just for the gardens alone.
History
The gardens at Chatsworth House are as old as the house itself and date back to when Bess of Hardwick, the wife of the Earl of Shrewsbury, built her Tudor mansion here in 1549. Bess was later to separate from Shrewsbury and went on to construct the magnificent Hardwick Hall.
The property has undergone numerous renovations over the centuries and the gardens we see and enjoy today are a mix of different styles and periods of history.
Altogether the gardens cover 105 acres and are surrounded by a wall in parts.
Little remains of the initial Elizabethan garden except for Queen Mary's Bower, so called after Chatsworth's most tragic house guest - Mary Queen of Scots.
The first Duke of Devonshire extended the gardens in the late 17th and early 18th century. Much more remains from this period including the popular Cascade and Cascade House, designed in the Baroque style by Thomas Archer (1688-1743).
The rectangular Canal Pond, the Seahorse Fountain and the Willow Tree Fountain also date from this period of development.
The First Duke's greenhouse now next to the rose garden, Flora's Temple constructed in 1695 and the West Garden - the private garden of the family all date to this time, too.
Capability Brown & Joseph Paxton
The 4th Duke commissioned Capability Brown to work on the gardens in the 1750's. Trees were imported from the USA and planted. The Salisbury Lawns around the Cascade are also the work of Capability Brown.
Joseph Paxton, the famous English gardener and cultivator of the Cavendish banana (named after the 6th Duke of Devonshire) worked on Chatsworth's gardens in the early 19th century. The Duke poured money into Paxton's endeavours as he set about transforming the grounds.
Paxton is responsible for the large Rockeries and The Strid (a small pond) as well as the impressive Emperor Fountain.
This was named in honour of Czar Nicholas I of Russia, who was planning a visit to Chatsworth. Unfortunately, Nicholas died before he could come but the 90 metre tall fountain was the tallest in the world at the time.
Paxton also designed the Arboretum and Pinetum. The Arboretum contains specimens of Douglas fir and Giant Sequoia.
The Azealea Dell and Ravine has plantings of rhododendrons and azaleas, which thrive in this part of the world.
A set of greenhouses known as the Conservative Wall grows Chatsworth's famous camellias as well as various fruits. Unfortunately Paxton's Great Conservatory, the largest glass house in the world when built in 1841 was demolished after World War I.
The gardens of Chatsworth continue to develop and since the 1950's various new features have been added including the Maze, the Sensory Garden and the Display Greenhouse.
Access - Getting to Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House (www.chatsworth.org)
Chatsworth
Bakewell
Derbyshire
DE45 1PP
Registered Charity 511149
Opening times vary according to the season. Consult the website above for full details.
Admission For House, Garden & Farmyard
Adults 24 GBP, Child 14.50 GBP
Admission For Garden, Farmyard & Playground
Adults 16 GBP, Child 10.50 GBP
Access
The nearest station to Chatsworth is Chesterfield which has rail connections to London St Pancras. The Transpeak Service bus runs from Manchester to Stockport, Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock, Derby and on to Nottingham.
The 58 bus service operated by High Peak runs between Buxton and Macclesfield, stopping at Chatsworth on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
The 170 bus service operated by Hulley's runs between Chesterfield and Bakewell, stopping at Chatsworth on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
The 218 bus service operated by TM Travel runs between Sheffield and Bakewell, stopping at Chatsworth daily.
Other places to see within easy reach of Chatsworth include Bakewell (10 minutes), Matlock, the Hope Valley, Peveril Castle, Buxton (25 minutes), Castleton, Eyam Hall, Eyam Stocks and the outdoor sports resort of Hathersage.
Nearby
The fortified manor house of Haddon Hall is just a short drive away.
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