Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Chatsworth House is a stately home near Edensor, Derbyshire. The seat of the Duke of Devonshire, it has belonged to the Cavendish family since the 16th century. The first house to be built on the Chatsworth House site was constructed in 1549 by Bess of Hardwick and her husband Sir William Cavendish. This original estate was notable for its use as a prison for Mary Queen of Scots, who was kept here on several occasions between 1569 and 1584. Little remains of the original structure except the Hunting Tower which still stands on the hill behind Chatsworth House. William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire, who became the 1st Duke in 1694, remodelled the original Elizabethan house into the present imposing building into the Baroque style between 1687 and 1707. Famous landscape architect Capability Brown designed the gardens in the 18th century. In the 19th Century, the 'Bachelor Duke', the 6th Duke of Devonshire, made major changes to both the house and its gardens, which were designed in collaboration with Joseph Paxton. Those who stayed at Chatsworth included Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens. Significant alterations were made in the 20th century, and after the 9th Duke of Devonshire passed away, the eleventh Duke, who inherited the property, sought to balance his debt obligations by opening Chatsworth to the public. The building itself is an architectural gem which has played host to a variety of events and provided the filming location for famous film and television productions, perhaps most notably Jane Austen‘s 'Pride and Prejudice'. Chatsworth House has over 30 rooms to explore, from the magnificent Painted Hall, to the family-used chapel, regal State Rooms and beautiful Sculpture Gallery. Chatsworth also houses the Devonshire Collections, one of Europe’s most significant art collections, which is continually added to, encompassing Old Masters to contemporary ceramics and artefacts from Ancient Egypt to cutting edge modern sculpture. The Chatsworth estate comprises the house and stables, a 105-acre garden, a 1,822-acre park, a farmyard and adventure playground, and one of Europe’s most significant private art collections. The house is within the council area of Derbyshire Dales (Derbyshire).
Historic England Grade I Listed 1373871.

Place Type: Historic House
Historic County: Derbyshire
Lat, Long: 53.227346,-1.6116687
Grid Reference: SK 2602 7010
Civil Parish: Chatsworth CP
Council Area: Derbyshire Dales CA (Derbyshire CA)
Strategic Authority Area: East Midlands SA
Police Area: Derbyshire PA

GBPN ID: 300810
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Chatsworth_House,_Derbyshire_300810

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