Chatsworth House has been the seat of the Dukes of Devonshire since the 1500s.  It has been associated with several well known characters including Bess of Hardwick, who built the original house; Mary Queen of Scots, who visited several times; Georgiana Spencer, ancestor of Princess Diana, who married the 5th Duke; Queen Victoria, who visited as a young girl, as well as Deborah Mitford (‘Debo’), married to the 11th Duke, who was the subject of our May lecture.

The house itself is a Grade 1 listed building, with stunning interiors.  Despite being open to the public, the family still lives in private rooms there.  The gardens have been remodelled several times, including designs by Capability Brown and Joseph Paxton.  There is also extensive parkland to explore.  As you might expect, Chatsworth has often been used as a film set including for the BBC series Pride and Prejudice and The Duchess, which portrayed the life of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.

Many of the dukes were collectors of the art and artefacts which now comprise the Devonshire Collections.  They range from needlework and scientific instruments to Old Masters, rare books, historical documents, contemporary art and sculpture.  There is something for everyone to enjoy on this visit!