Chatsworth connections

We paid a visit to Chatsworth House, known as the Palace of the Peaks in radiant sunshine. The whole place is packed into a vast thousand acre park with roads sweeping through it ~ almost like a neoclassical theme park where a herd of majestic red deer can appear like grand sculptures moving around golden stage sets masquerading as houses and farm buildings. 

Much has been written about Chatsworth, however some points are worth revisiting. The original square block mansion has been the seat of the head of the Cavendish family from the mid sixteenth century. Bess of Hardwick was the force of nature and talented business lady who convinced her second husband Sir William Cavendish, a courtier to Henry VIII to move from his ancestral home in Suffolk to the undeveloped farm plot by the River Derwent.

Over a century later the house was blinged up in the latest taste following the Glorious and virtually bloodless Revolution of 1688. It was tumultuous era ~ high handed Catholic King James II took flight and popular Protestants William and Mary (James's daughter) sailed from the Netherlands and ascended the throne. This incredible series of events came about because of the organised plot by a cabal of Whig party peers known as the 'Immortal Seven'. William Cavendish, Earl of Devonshire was a member of the maverick group who masterminded surely one of the most curious coups in world history.

William of Orange bestowed Cavendish with a Dukedom for his loyalty. With a new lofty status in society William Cavendish engaged superlative architect William Talman to refashion the Tudor house into the latest Baroque style, complete with decadent gold leaf gilding on mouldings and window frames. Talman later retired to a very attractive country house of his own at Felmingham in deepest Norfolk, a mere 9 miles from Hoveton~Wroxham. 

Timothy's descendents lived at Edensor, on the other side of the river from Chatsworth House. At its centre a church steeple pierces to the heavens. The tower was built like the rest of the village to the designs of the remarkable gardener~draughtsman and engineer Joseph Paxton. Timothy John's father John Alwyn had a father called John Jack. Timothy John is first for many generations not to be have John as a first name.

Pictured above is an invitation to join the coming of age celebrations of William "Billy" Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington. The house was floodlit at night and a merry time was had by local people. Tragically, only a few years later William was killed in action during World War Two. In a sad ironic twist of fate, William's wife Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy of the American political clan was killed with her later partner the 8th Earl Fitzwilliam in 1948 during a freak aeroplane accident in the south of France. Touchingly, Kathleen is buried in the Cavendish burial ground at Peter's Church, Edensor.

While visiting Chatsworth we ventured to the stupendous farm shop at Pilsey overlooking Edensor. The grand repurposed stable block near the big house is furnished with stylish dining rooms. Big plate glass windows created from the arches flood the spaces with light. One side houses shops and rustic carts stock tasteful garden bits and bobs on the paved yard. All of the staff we encountered, like the house guides and restaurant servers were exceptionally friendly and helpful. Overall, there is too much to see and take in on a single day. Chatsworth may be that very rare thing, a place that really does exceed expectations.

Picture credits: David Morse

Archive invitation: Helen Foster

Timothy John, David, Chris