A ‘must do’ on every trip that Rachel made to Derby was Chatsworth House. Passed down through the Devonshire family for 17 generations over 5 centuries, it’s known for its significant art collection and landscape architecture. It’s tucked away in Bakewell, and the house and stables seem to appear from nowhere on the landscape when you arrive.
The house was established in the mid 1500s, when Bess of Hardwick convinced her new husband, Sir William Cavendish, to relocate to Derbyshire. Cavendish… yes, almost every banana you’ve ever eaten is descendent from a plant grown at Chatsworth in the early 1800s. If it looks familiar, it was also ‘Pemberley’ the home of Mr Darcy in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice.
The house has regular exhibitions, with the current a collaboration with fashion designer ‘Erdem’. The collection is inspired by imaginary conversations with the late Duchess Deborah whose entrepreneurial spirit helped Chatsworth thrive after the war years.
The exhibition includes the inspiration phase, and the final output. The photographs, sketches, paper models and first patterns are all on display. The amount of work that goes into a collection is unbelievable!
The finished products are edgy and quirky, reflecting the Duchesses love of Chatsworth and bugs. Not street wear, absolutely stunning pieces of art!
The rest of the house is an huge gallery of painting, sculpture and architecture. Massive murals sit alongside huge artworks and incredible pieces of furniture. I don’t imagine it was a warm and cosy house in the early years. Way too many potraits seem to follow you around the room.
The smaller pieces in the house are also stunning… bowls made from Derbyshire ‘Blue John’ and wallpaper with the local birdlife. It’s a stunning home that’s been lovingly maintained for the community to enjoy.
I can absolutely understand why Rachel loved this place. It reflected so many things she loved – the landscape, the house, artwork and a deep history in the Derby community. So glad to have come here and enjoyed it once again 🙂
Love M & BBx
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