The surrounding hills hold a wealth of intrigue stretching back into the fog of history. The Neolithic stone circles and barrows, the mysterious lost Roman city of Lutudarum, Norman churches and castles, the great halls that grew from the lucrative lead mining industry and the mills and railways that mark this area as the cradle of the industrial revolution, all this and more add up to make this a fascinating place to explore.
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth Estate is one of the most opulent aristocratic family seats in Britain, having passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family, it is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The house is renowned for it distinctive architecture and for containing one of the most extensive and significant private art collections in Britain, the Devonshire Collections, which includes ancient Roman and Egyptian sculpture, masterpieces by Rembrandt, Reynolds and Veronese, and important modern pieces by Lucian Freud, Edmund de Waal and David Nash.
The 105-acre Chatsworth Garden has been evolving for over 400 years and includes elaborate waterworks, impressive sculptures, a Victorian rock garden, as well as an adventure playground and farm shop. Make sure to check the website for the many events that take place throughout the year.
Website: www.chatsworth.org
Haddon Hall
Website: www.haddonhall.co.uk
Kedleston Hall
Sir Richard Arkwright’s Cromford Mills
Website: www.cromfordmills.org.uk
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
Website: www.e-v-r.com
Wirksworth Heritage Centre
