Calke Abbey

Last week-end, we made one of our regular visits to one of the nearest National Trust properties, Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. This house is a wonderful time capsule, capturing a moment in time.
The house was acquired by the National Trust in 1985 as a most unusual property where it seemed that time had stood still. The Harpur family had lived there since 1622 and were noted for their reclusive eccentricity. In 1985 the property was in need of extensive repair but was lacking in modern amenities and cluttered with the collected family paraphernalia of centuries . The decision was made to carry out essential repairs only and keep the property, so far as possible, in the state that it was left . You will not find, therefore, a highly restored interior but a most interesting and informal picture of a grand country house in its latter years of occupancy and decline. It has a unique fascination.
The visit inside the house was avoided on this occasion, restricting ourselves to the grounds. The house contains a huge collection of stuffed birds and animals, just part of the collection amassed by Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe; there are so many of them that you do have to be in the right mood to face upto them.


Calke Abbey 

The house was never actually an abbey, although the Augustinian order of Monks did build one here in 1133 and dedicated it to St Giles, with the present Baroque mansion being built on the site of the abbey in 1703.


Church Walk - Calke Abbey 

The previous photo is on the walk upto St Giles church, which is located in the grounds of Calke Abbey, and was built in 1826. It contains a fine monument to the builder of Calke Abbey, Sir John Harpur and his wife.

The formal gardens at Calke are but a small part of the whole estate, but always worth a visit at any time of the year. The next photo was taken on our latest visit and shows some of the borders just coming to life, although the tree will take a little longer yet to come into leaf.


Walled Garden Tree in Spring 

Another view shows the spring bedding.


Walled Garden - Spring 

The same beds, taken last summer, show much more colour. Regular visits are needed to keep upto date with the changes.


Walled Garden - Summer 

From the walled gardens it is worth the effort to wander down to the lake by which is a very well preserved ice house, a relic of the days before refrigerators, and when the lake would have frozen over regularly enough to yield ice to last through the summer.


Calke Abbey Lake 

smugmug - Brodick : Calke Abbey