An English interlude 3: Derbyshire
Bolsover Castle
On our way to Derby we stopped off at Bolsover Castle, another place we had not visited since living in South Yorkshire almost 40 years ago. It was more extensive than I remembered. Built by the Cavendish family in the 17th century on the site of a medieval castle it comprises three parts: The Terrace Range with state apartments, the Little Castle used for cultural and literary activities, and the Riding House.
The Riding House
The Riding House is one of the earliest in England to survive complete and a landmark in British equestrianism. Here, William Cavendish indulged his passion for training great horses in stately dressage.
The Terrace Range
By the 1770s the Terrace Range was already in ruins. What remains is still picturesque.
The Little Castle
The design of the Little Castle was intended to evoke a Norman great tower, both externally and internally. The windows of the upper floors were designed to give panoramic views across the landscape shown above in which the occupants would have been able to see two other Cavendish family houses, Hardwick Hall (which we visited two years ago) and Owlcotes, now lost. The view today is of modern Bolsover based on a colliery model village, built in 1894.
We approached the Little Castle through the Fountain Garden.
The interior of the Little Castle is what I remembered most from earlier visits to Bolsover. Many of the rooms are richly decorated with wall paintings – rare survivals from the early 17th century. It’s just stunning.
On the top floor was an exhibition called Fame, Fashion and Fortune with recreated costumes worn by influential historic women of Bolsover. My favourites were the Votes for Women display and Bess of Hardwick, founder of the Cavendish dynasty.
After this fabulous visit to Bolsover we continued our journey to stay with our friend Janet.
Sudbury Hall
On our first day with Janet we visited a place I had never heard of, let alone visited: Sudbury Hall which bills itself as the Children’s Country House. The Hall itself, once the home of the Vernon family, played the interior of Mr Darcy’s home, Pemberley, in the BBC’s 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice and in Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary year it has an exhibition of costumes from the series. At the back of the house is the Museum of Childhood.
Hall and Exhibition
As well as the costumes I liked the way old books had been used in the displays.
Museum of Childhood
I didn’t take many photos in this section (sometimes museums of childhood can be alarming when I remember too many exhibits). I loved the wonderful definition of home.
Gardens
The weather had been, and was, very hot, so the gardens were not looking their best: very brown. John enjoyed trying out one of the hammocks.
All Saints Church
Before going back to Derby we popped into the church next door which had a flower festival celebrating the saints. A few examples are below, but we were actually more impressed with the beautiful stained glass window. The Evacuee Window was commissioned by a group of evacuees from Manchester as thanks for the protection and affection they received in the village during the Second World War. It was designed and hand-made by Michael Stokes in 2000.
Haddon Hall
Our final Derbyshire visit was another familiar one, Haddon Hall. With nine hundred years of history, it is one of the oldest houses in England and one of the few to have remained in one family’s ownership for its entire existence (the Manners, who still live there). A highlight was the chapel with its 15th century wall painting.
House and Chapel
Gardens
As this was the hottest day of our trip (about 32C) it was a relief to take solace inside the Hall’s thick medieval walls. However, we still enjoyed a wander round outside. These gardens seemed to have suffered much less from the heat.
Of all the places we visited during this tour I think Haddon Hall was my favourite. The day after our visit we left Derby and set off for our final stop, Aysgarth in Wensleydale.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
The exhibit at Sudbury Hall looks especially fascinating. I love what they did with the books in the displays as well as the costumes from Pride and Prejudice. In my eyes, the 1995 mini-series of Pride and Prejudice was the best of all the movies made, and was exactly true to the book. I would have liked this a lot. Haddon Hall looks fabulous too.
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It is a truth universally acknowledged that the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice was the best ever and cannot be improved. I’m glad you agree!
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They are all beautiful places
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Yes, they are – especially Haddon.
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Phew! All those visits packed in. No wonder a hammock was needed. 😉 😉
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Quite! Though he wasn’t allowed to stay there long.
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I really need to plan a trip to Derbyshire – all three places look spectacular and right up my street. I loved the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, and have always wanted to visit the filming locations for it.
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We’ve seen both the interior and exterior of Pemberly now.
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These are places I’ve never been, but really should visit! I just love that painted wall at the chapel.
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The chapel was stunning. Amazing to think how long that painted wall had survived.
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Very different places but all very interesting. The panelled room at Bolsover looks amazing and I love the red day bed and bench. I think the evil side would get the better of me and I would have tipped John out of that hammock 😀
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They were all very interesting. The hammock idea was tempting … but I restrained myself!
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Castles look so grand and the size of everything. Hard to imagine people living in them and calling them home. Fascinating as always, Anabel.
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I suppose in the old days there was a cast of thousands. These days, I suspect they hunker down in a cosy wee room somewhere.
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All the extended family, servants, and guests would’ve added up.
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I am surprised that my brother has not visited Bolsover castle. It looks most attractive.
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It is, I would highly recommend that he checks it out.
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I am not even sure what to comment on as there was so much amazing stuff! The book displays were so unique, and the staircase showed such amazing workmanship. The equestrian center riding space reminded me of the indoor one in Vienna. What a great adventure this was – I need that hammock to rest now!
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Thanks Bernie. John enjoyed his brief rest in the hammock, but I was worried I’d get in and not be able to get out, or else I would fall out in an undignified manner!
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Thanks, Anabel, for taking me back to beautiful Haddon Hall.
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I hope it brought back memories.
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Fabulous places to visit! I love the architecture and gardens at each place. Thank you for the tour, Anabel.
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Thanks Natalie, glad you enjoyed the tour.
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Some of those paintings at Bolsolver… oh my!!! The stories Haddon Hall could tell must be incredible.
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Yes, the paintings were, shall we say, interesting! Haddon had a rich history, they all did, but somehow it’s story appealed to me most.
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Ha! I certainly didn’t expect to see a space suit and capsule in the middle of your other photographs! Maybe one day, those will seem as historical as the costumes, halls, and churches in your other pictures.
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Perhaps they will – although the space capsule is actually a Dalek, one of the monsters from the Dr Who shows of my childhood, so to me it is already an iconic part of my history. Hence why childhood museums make me feel ancient!
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You must have been pleased to find these interesting exhibitions, with topics right up your alley. 🙂 The idea of the one family line living in the same house for nine hundred years is incredible.
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Yes, it was serendipitous that there was so much of interest on in all the places we visited.
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Thank you so much for your post. We lived on the Nottingham/Derby border for 35 years and we visited these places many times and loved them all. Sometimes the visits were school visits and the children enjoyed the Museum of Childhood….I didn’t! Excellent photos of all the beautiful buildings but I’m with you …my favourite is Haddon Hall.
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Yes, I think Haddon Hall is winning the popular vote! I didn’t mind a quick tour round the Museum of Childhood but I preferred the Jane Austen exhibition.
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Thanks for the tour – your posts are always so interesting.
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Thanks Barbara!
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You’re in my home territory here! Born and bred in Derby (Mickleover to be precise) and visited all of these places as a child – Haddon several times. I still love going back for walks in the Peak District and wandering around the villages. It’s many years since I left Derby but of course I still consider it to be in my DNA!
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We were both students at Sheffield so Derbyshire was somewhere we visited a lot.
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I’ve heard of these places through reading various historical books so it’s nice to see them in reality. You both did well in that heat. I just stay indoors above 28c unless I go for a walk early morning or evening. The new normal temperatures in the UK for summer now. Bob. BSS.
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The heat was just about bearable for ambling round a garden! It is definitely too hot for me otherwise.
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Another interesting virtual tour for me. Nice grand houses. (Suzanne)
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Glad you liked them, Suzanne.
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I’ve never been to Bolsover – it looks well worth a visit, with lots to photograph!
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I had forgotten how interesting it was.
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As do you, I love most stained glass windows. The Evacuee Window is beautiful.
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It is beautiful – and very meaningful.
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You packed a lot in! I have never visited any of these places despite living in Doncaster for 19 years. Though not all of those with a car. I don’t think I ever went anywhere at the weekends – simply catching up on household chores! So thank you for the virtual visits.
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We went to them in the 1980s because they were great places to take visitors and we had a LOT of visitors at that time, what with both families and two lots of old school and uni friends. It probably wouldn’t happen now!
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I think Haddon Hall looks the best, and looking forward to a Aysgarth….many, many years since I went there
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Thanks Sue. Haddon is definitely the favourite. By the way, I think your blog has decided I am spam again. Comments just disappear.
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oh, ráts I’ll take another look
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What a trip! And what fabulous interiors…………….I also find it disconcerting when the exhibits date you 😊
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Something to recommend in all of them! Yes, I hate feeling like a museum piece. Happened more and more though!
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Agreed, Haddon is my favourite too, and is somewhat under-rated in my view. Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall get most attention amongst visitors to the county; Bolsover and Sudbury, meanwhile, are not in the same league, in my humble Derbyshire opinion (we Derbyshire folk are famously humble 😊). Having said that, I must confess that it’s years since I’ve been to Sudbury, and I reckon that anywhere with a life-size dalek deserves a return visit!
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The main attraction of Sudbury for me was the Pride and Prejudice connection, though I did enjoy the rest and it was a nice bonus to see the flower show next door. Chatsworth is another one I haven’t visited for probably 40 years – I suspect I might find it too big, showy, and busy these days. Haddon is a much homelier scale.
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I’m here!! I will be checking out what I missed, but you had another wonderful visit that I would have loved to have seen. I love the walls in the first place…obviously, the man loved sex with all the lustful paintings. The chapel in the next place is a place I would be looking at in detail with all those wall paintings. The tree and leaves is very intricate.
love, too the last place and that is amazing that it has stayed with the same family for centuries. I picture myself reading in one of those rooms.
it has been too hot this past summer but glad you could still enjoy the gardens.
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Hi Birgit – no worries about catching up! Yes, some of those wall paintings were quite something. I liked all three places, but the last one was special. Perhaps because it was still loved as a family home it felt more comfortable.
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This has been great fun, thank you!
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Thanks for reading!
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