Derbyshire revels in an edifying range of historic country houses: Haddon Hall, the quintessential mediaeval manor house; Sudbury, a late 17th century mansion with fine decorative plasterwork; and Kedleston, Robert Adam's neo-Classical chef d’oeuvre.
A handful of private visits will distinguish our late summer tour of Derbyshire: Eyam is a delightfully unspoilt Jacobean manor house, whilst the interior of Renishaw, once notorious as the setting for Lady Chatterley's Lover, reveals the eclectic tastes of generations of the Sitwell family.
Seventeenth century Bolsover Castle, which dominates the surrounding countryside from its hilltop perch, was once the most fashionable of society venues, even hosting a Ben Jonson masque in honour of a visit by Charles I. We will investigate the castle, trace the royal route, admire the classical wall paintings and scrutinise the country’s earliest illusionistic ceiling paintings.
Hardwick Hall, famed for its huge expanses of window, is a lasting memorial to Bess of Hardwick. The house contains the finest selection of Elizabethan embroideries in the country, together with a captivating collection of 16th century French furniture acquired for Bess by Mary Queen of Scots.
We stay at the four-star Kenwood Hall Hotel, with heated indoor pool, set in a dozen acres of delightful parkland a mile from the centre of Sheffield.
Date: September 6 - 10, 2010 |
Cost: £590 |
Lecturer: David Bostwick |
Course Code: DERB10 |
Itinerary
Day 1 Course assembles 1330 at Kenwood Hall Hotel, Sheffield (1400 at Sheffield railway station) for four nights. Afternoon: private visit to Eyam Hall (Jacobean manor house and garden). Evening talk with sherry reception.
Day 2 Private visit to Carnfield Hall (Georgian dining room, Jacobean staircases), Haddon Hall (fortified mediaeval manor house), exteriors of Holme Hall, Cartledge Hall. Evening talk.
Day 3 Private visit to Sudbury Hall (late 17th century house with sumptuous interiors), Kedleston Hall (masterpiece of neo-classical architecture designed by Robert Adam). Evening: private visit to Jacobean Tissington Hall (home of Fitzherberts for 400 years).
Day 4 Sutton Scarsdale Hall (immense columned exterior), Bolsover Castle (17th century castle-style mansion), Hardwick Hall (spectacular Tudor treasure house built for Bess of Hardwick).
Day 5 Private visits to Barlborough Hall (built in 1583 by Robert Smythson) and Renishaw Hall (19th century Italianate gardens laid out by Sir George Sitwell, John Piper collection). Course disperses 1530 at hotel, 1600 at Sheffield railway station.
Cost
Cost of £590 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, drinks reception, breakfast & dinner, excursions & admissions.*
Not included: travel insurance, supplement for doubles/twins for single use £90.
*For EH sites, free access on production of EH card; non EH members are required to pay admission charge.