Calke Abbey is a National Trust Property in Derbyshire that I visited about a year ago. I have visited several National Trust houses before and they are usually immaculately restored to their former state. This house however has been left untouched and that is it's magic.
The National Trust decribe it as a "memorial to the many English country houses that disappeared during the 20th century", you will walk round and witness he years of neglect to this beautiful former 12th Century priory.
Over the years the property has been transformed into an Elizabethan courtyard house, a grand baroque mansion before arriving at its present look - late 18th Century neo classical.
The house has belonged to the Harpur family since 1622 and it is the seventh baronet who's legacy you will see when you walk around the house today. He was shy and fairly eccentric and renamed the house Calke Abbey. He enjoyed spending his time alone and was fascinated by wild animals. This interest continued to the 10th Baronet, Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe who's extreme behaviour included obsessively collecting stuffed birds and animals, which amounted to several thousand as you will see.
As you walk through the house, only a few of the rooms are in a reasonable state, however they are overflowing with stuffed animals, trophies and various other collections. The other rooms all left untouched contain stacked possesions, which have been stored there over the years. It becomes obvious that gradually rooms were used as storage rather than living space, until eventually only a few rooms were lived in.
Upstairs, you will see the most amazing bed, which was never unpacked which is now kept in a darkened room to preserve it. The bed was given to the family in 1714 and is covered with beautiful embriodered chinese silk. I think that was the most suprising discovery.
A visit here, really is a different and interesting day out providing an insight into the sad state of decline of a very eccentric family home.
Asides from the house the grounds are incredible, with beautiful walled gardens, out houses, church and stables. The vegetable and herb gardens are facinating. I would advise a trip on a sunny day so that you can enjoy the grounds to their full extent.
I throughly enjoyed my visit here, it really was something very different and I would definitely go back for a second visit.
Opening arrangements to March 2006:
House is open for visiting 1-5:30 Garden & church 11-5:30 Neither are open on Thursdays.
Admission prices £6.30, child £3.10, family £15.70. Groups £5.30, child £2.60. Garden only: £3.80, child £1.90, family £9.50 Admission prices from 1 March 2006 House & garden: £6.80, child £3.40, family £17. Groups £5.80, child £2.90. Garden only: £4.20, child £2.10, family £10.50
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Not sure that I'd appreciate all those stuffed birds, but the house itself looks pretty stunning. I'd love to have the time to do as Jane has and visit all of the NT properties, we've been up to now concentrating on the English Heritage ones. Richard.
Janej47 09.03.2006 13:35
We went to all of the Natonal Trust properties during our 2 year membership , and I did like Calke . That bed was amazing . J xx
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Feb 28th, 2006
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