Chatsworth ...The House & The Gardens.

We were given two tickets of entry for The House and The Gardens. Today we decided to use them.
Absolutely loved it all!!

Where to start ...well, we followed the route through the house set out for the public, of course. My mind is almost overloaded with numbers of  images, thoughts, ideas, and moving pictures, ... sounds, sights and conversations.

What stands out about this place in particular, is the friendliness of the staff in each room, their knowledge and their willingness to share it - and the enthusiasm and pleasure they obviously have about the place,
....and then, of course, the House ...and all that is in it!!
Also the fact that there were chairs to sit on in nearly every room. This was helped by the 'Chair Exhibition" that had different designers work throughout the house - we were encouraged to sit ..and comment.

There was of course, the painted hall with that amazing staircase. Verrio's ceiling paintings, the sculptures ...the silk bed hangings. An entire room of carved and panelled oak, grand fireplaces, carpets, tapestries hanging on the walls here and there.

Why did Evie, the 9th Duchesse think that the best way to clean these, was to put them in the cascade in the garden??! ...NOT a terrific idea!!

And textiles... old and new.

In 2009 the textiles team made all new curtains and pelmets in the south Sketch Gallery; in all there is over one kilometre of hand sewing.

I saw the famous Rembrandt.

...and the Trompe l'oeil painting of the violin hanging on the door, by Jan van der Vaardt. ...Probably Chatsworth's most famous work of art.

And truly, it looks just like my violin - even up very close I felt it should be able to be taken off the door!!

Ceramics, drawings, paintings ....Gainsboroughs, painted tiles, parquetry floors, chandeliers - some made with deer antlers ...vases, epergnes, guns and rifles ...gilded 'everythings', photographs, silver objects, ladies toilette implements ...

...a grand piano ...books ....ahhhh - The Library!!!  This is seen from an Anti Library, the library is roped off. The family still use it every day and love sitting in there at night. One can see why.
Then there are the collections of china ...and the Sculpture Gallery is magnificent with white marble pieces ... the famous lions (copies after Canova's originals) seem to form a memorial of their own, placed as they are over each side of a great marble doorway.

The Garden and the sunshine and fresh air was a lovely contrast. Eventually we had to stop, sit and have a drink ...but found that we really needed a proper break. So we headed the the exit, got our hands 'stamped', so we could come back later, and headed to our tower.

A rest and "something to nibble" to quote Andrew - and down we went again.

Walked, walked ...and walked some more - but this time NOT up-hill! Eventually we had to concede defeat, and headed for home.

An owl is hooting ...lights are on at The House, but all is peaceful here.